House of 9
by Chibitaida
Summary: Nine. It takes nine friends to play a sick game in order to escape the house of terrors alive. Some will go missing, others will be driven insane, and unlucky ones will perish. Akiza, when put in the middle between her friends and aiding another friend, must pull through and find the way out of the nightmare. Warning: character death and disturbing scenes.
1. Beginning

**Sloth: **You there, reader! Yes, you. I have some things to clear before I can let you start reading this failed attempt of mine. First off, this is a rated **M **fanfic. Do you know why? If you didn't paid attention to the summary, there is a character death(s) in the story. I have warned you so don't be surprised if I ignore your flames against me. Also, this is a horror fanfic. As a naturally morbid person, I tend to write things to dark and almost too graphic that even I get sick from my own twisted mind, so that's another warning. Be ready for any disturbing scenes that include blood, violence, death, psychological effects, and whatever the sloth (me) decides to do. You have been warned.

Okay. I was so conflicted whether to give up on this or not before I even began since I was struggling a lot on settings and sources, and truthfully, I was ready to tear up my outline... I'm glad I didn't. I had fun writing the first chapter. Thank you **KaiFudo16 **for telling me not to give up and for helping me try to find a suitable setting. Thanks. Thank you also **HippyWhippy **for listening to my rants to this idea. Thank you. I'm going to do my best to upload every other 2-3 days in order to pull off all 9 chapters in this fanfic, so please bear with me throughout the month of October (it's an October fanfic by the way).

One last warning. There will be a lot of French throughout this story. Enough me talking. You may read.

Title: House of 9

Chapter one: Beginning

* * *

**_Dans ma maison il y a…_**

_Dans ma maison_

_Il y a une fleur_

_Qui s'appelle_

_Biss' carabiss' caraboss' soldat_

_Si tu n'arrives pas à le répéter_

_Tu seras éliminé(e)_

_Biss' carabiss' caraboss' soldat_

_Tu as gagné._

_Dans ma piscine_

_Il y a un poisson_

_Qui s'appelle_

_Poissi poissi poissirène_

_Si tu n'arrives pas à le répéter_

_Tu seras éliminé(e)_

_Poissi poissi poissirène_

_Tu as gagné._

* * *

She wasn't sure why she decided to come after all. Alone in the night, she was standing in front of a grand, silver gate that separated her from entering the tremendous, white mansion. _Wait, _she thought as she examined a near-white envelope in her hand, pulling out the translucent invitation. _It's not a mansion. It's a chateau... chateau... sounds French. _ She sighed as she glanced at the French country house.

It had numerous windows, and she assumed that there were at least five floors from where she stood. The roof, from what she observed, needed a touch up since some of the shingles were obviously missing, and more than likely, the full moon's lustrous light was penetrating through the roof. Overall, the chateau seemed almost... haunting underneath the full moon and the gentle breeze sailing through the air.

The teenage girl reread her invite. It read:

_Ah! Mon invité belle_

_I invite you, Izayoi Akiza, to a spectacular, amusing duel tournament that I am hosting on the following full moon. In this tournament, only nine guests, including you, are invited to this rare occasion. Because of the limited guests I have chosen, I warn you not to bring uninvited guests with you since they will not be warmly welcomed. I also request that you do not speak of this upcoming tournament to any soul until you arrive that evening. If you do choose to talk, however, you could be placed in mortal danger._

_I highly encourage you to take part of this tourney. Only nine guests are invited, and it is vital all should attend in order for it to balance out correctly. This is a tournament full of enjoyment and should not be missed._

_I will wait for your arrival on the day of the full moon, four hours before midnight at the chateau that stands alone in a field that casts no shadows._

Akiza frowned as she replaced the invite into the envelope, tucking it into her pocket. It was a wonder that she didn't decline the invitation, especially one where it seemed really suspicious. The requests were strange in her opinion. Yes, Akiza understood the request of not bringing anyone with her, but the request of not talking about it beforehand was something she couldn't comprehend. As soon as she received the invite in the mail, Aki had the strongest urge to talk about it with the dark, raven boy she harbored feelings for, but the consequences frightened her.

_Danger... what danger?_ Aki pondered as she scanned the surrounding field for anything threatening. She saw nothing that could be used against her outside and inside the gates. "No danger here," Aki said to herself.

If there were no warning for any sort of danger, she would have talked about the tournament with Yusei. She might have declined it if Yusei recommended it since they didn't have time to be distracted from preparing for the WRGP. Aki would have asked his personal opinion on the invitation, but she knew she shouldn't if she didn't want any danger to fall on anyone. It would be horrible if she brought problems when Yusei was engrossed in his preparations.

"I hope he's here," Aki whispered, smiling softly at the end. It would truly make her happy if Yusei was invited as well, and as Aki thought about him, she blushed lightly. Perhaps she wouldn't feel lonely if she saw him inside. She could vision Yusei smiling and greeting her before the tournament would begin, and maybe after the whole tourney, Akiza would finally confessed her feelings to him.

**_SKREE!_**

Akiza jumped. She spun around to see what made the creaking iron noise and found that she was now in the courtyard between the gates and the chateau. "How did I get to the other side?" she faltered. Aki bit her bottom lip subconsciously out of fear, but she put on a brave face. "No, Aki. This is no time to be scared. It's time to go inside," Aki announced, walking briskly to the large, wooden doors.

She knocked on the doors loudly enough that she could hear it echo through the wood and waited for an answer. In a few seconds, the two doors opened without anyone behind them, and Akiza entered the strong-lighted room. The doors slammed vehemently behind her, causing her to jump a little again. "This keeps getting weird..." she breathed deeply.

"Akiza?"

Aki subconsciously smiled when she heard the familiar voice and felt relieved. Standing before her was none other than Yusei Fudo who was also wearing a smile on his lips. Akiza asked, "Did you get an invite too, Yusei?"

Yusei nodded. "We're not the only ones here, Aki." He pointed behind the burgundy-haired girl, and Aki followed his finger to see Jack Atlas and Crow Hogan (bickering about something she couldn't hear clearly) across the room, Ruka and Rua examining the acrylic paintings on the white walls, Kiryu Kyosuke, one of Yusei's friends, leaning against the grand staircase's rails, and Bruno sitting on the stair's steps.

"Who's the ninth guest then?" Aki wondered, glancing at each corner of the vast, decorative main room to find the last guest.

As if on cue, the two large doors opened again without anyone opening them. In stepped inside a tall, green-eyed blonde girl. Akiza, realizing that it was Sherry LeBlanc who was the ninth guest, felt a wave of disturbance against her body. The feeling numbed her legs and pierced her throat like sharp knives. Something felt wrong when the French girl stepped inside the chateau, and Aki, as form of defense, wrapped her arms around her body.

Yusei noticed her action, and concerned, he asked, "What's wrong?"

"I don't know, but something seems off about Sherry," she tried to explain. "I have a bad feeling about this tournament, Yusei."

"I agree. It is strange that we weren't allowed to tell our friends about this. It's amazing how Jack, Crow, Bruno, nor I said a word about the tournament."

"I wanted to talk about it with you as soon as I read it. I wasn't sure whether if I should go or not with all of our preparations of the Grand Prix, and -"

"It's fine. The race can wait, Aki," Yusei cut her off.

Gaping to his words, Aki stared incredulously at him. "What do you mean 'it can wait'?"

Before the raven could explain, the light in the grand room dimmed, and out called a debonair, thick voice, "Welcome, my nine guests."

All eyes of the nine guests met with the dark, insensitive ones that belonged to the tall, sallow thin man who was slowly climbing down the steps of the staircase. With a cane in his hand, he limped as his feet finally reached the reflecting, marble floor. His hair was the night sky of a new moon, and his faded moustache connected cleanly with his diminishing beard on his face. With his black tuxedo over his thin body, the man almost looked like as though he was trying to show off his riches to make up for his poor physical features.

The man extended his arms to the audience and continued, "It is truly a great pleasure to see that all I had invited are here. It brings me the most joyous content that neither of you had turned down this fun event."

"Why would we?" Jack, who was standing next to Yusei and Akiza, smiled. "Any invite to a duel tournament is worth going to."

The thin man laughed heartily to his comment. "I am pleased to hear that you feel commoved about this. Now the tournament that I'm hosting tonight is one unlike any of you nine had ever participated before."

"What do you mean?" Ruka asked curiously.

"Yeah! Like is it really going to be super fun?!" Her twin, Rua, jumped up and down in excitement.

Grinning broadly, the host bent over and answered the small boy, "But of course it will be! I promise." Pulling away, he smirked sinisterly.

Aki caught the smirk, and becoming unease, she whispered into Yusei's ear, "Yusei, I _really _have a bad feeling to everything right now."

"So are there any special rules to this tournament of yours? Care to explain any details?" Crow expected.

Climbing up the steps, the man replied, "The rules... the rules are simple. Yes. They are very... very simple, my dear guests." He chuckled darkly, which sent a disturbance of emotions to the guests.

Kiryu stood upward and met his golden orbs with the soulless eyes of the man. "This isn't really a duel tournament, is it?"

"Oh, but it is," the man insisted. He gazed over the blunette mechanic who was now at his feet. "It is a tournament. It is. It is only a tournament with interesting rules however.

"First rule," he pointed his cane at Akiza and Yusei, "is that all nine guests must know each other. Must have a connection, you see. If they do not, the other rules cannot work. Second rule- all nine guests must be willing to perform beyond their best to win." His face fell miserably before he continued, "Alas, my guests, before the tournament even had begun, two of you have broken my request."

Akiza froze while the others either gasped or chattered among themselves. "Two of us?" she reluctantly asked.

Sherry, who had said nothing earlier, scowled, "I suppose the 'danger' you spoke of now rests on their shoulders?"

"Precisely," the man leered and pointed his cane down at Bruno. "You have spoken about it. You thought you would be safe and I would not catch you, did you not?"

Bruno puled, "I didn't mean to talk. It slipped out of my mouth!"

The cane then landed towards Rua's direction. "And you, my boy- instead of denying the tournament, you allowed a conversation to grow. And for that, both are to be punished."

Yusei challenged the man, setting one foot on the steps, "If they did talked about it, it shouldn't matter. No punishment is necessary when you can just disqualify them."

"Yusei..." Rua whimpered. His twin wrapped her arms around him in hopes of keeping him safe even if it couldn't in reality.

"I wouldn't mind being disqualified," Bruno agreed. "If it would bring no danger, I wouldn't mind."

Listening to all of their comments, the man laughed menacingly, "No. If I did that, the game would end and never begin. Third rule- at least one guest must break any request in order for the game to be played."

"So it isn't a duel tournament after all," Kiryu growled.

Crow hissed, "What idea are you trying to pull off?"

"'Idea'? I say a fun, marvelous game!" The tall, thin host cackled sourly.

"Well- where the hell is this game of yours?!" Jack demanded.

All of a sudden, the lights went out completely, and a cacophony of bodies being struck resonate the room. Akiza, unaware of what was going on, heard the others fall to the ground. Panicking, she cried out, "What's happening?!"

_**CRACK! **_

With one blow on the back of her head, Akiza fell unconscious before she hit the ground.

* * *

Akiza couldn't remember exactly how she regained her conscious. She couldn't remember what happened after she finally stood up from the cold, unfamiliar floor. Her mind foggy and head throbbing in pain, Aki clumsily walked through the black-pitched room she was inside. Groping the dark, her hand felt a familiar figure on the floor- Bruno's figure. Wanting to know what had happened, she ran her hands through his soft hair and spoke loudly in hopes he was conscious. "Bruno... Bruno, what happened?"

"Akiza! Akiza, where are you?!" Akiza heard Yusei's frightened voice across the room.

"I'm over here!" She screamed, "I'm next to Bruno!"

At once, a bright light from above lit the room, and Aki covered her eyes to adjust to the sudden light changes. After she adjusted, she bent over and examined Bruno's face. What she was expecting to see was only for him to be unconscious that it was no surprise that she shrieked when she saw his eyes wide opened and blood resting on his mouth. As a reflex out of fear, Aki backed away from Bruno and saw that his upper torso was seeping out blood.

"Akiza!"

"Yusei! Bruno! He's... he's..." she choked on her words and couldn't bring herself to finish.

The others at last found her standing next to the bloody corpse. At first they were relieved to see Akiza was safe but horror struck their hearts when they spot the mechanic lying still on the floor, red crimson pool underneath him.

In shock, Yusei walked over to the corpse and fell to his knees. Without a doubt, Yusei crumbled as he pulled Bruno into his arms. "Bruno, no! _This can't be happening!_"

Akiza's heart broke having to witness him fall apart as it broke everyone else's. The only one who wasn't grieving for the death or horribly distraught was Ruka. Instead, she was panicking for her own reasons.

"Where's Rua?!" she anxiously panicked.

"Just what is going on?!" Akiza screamed.

"A game," echoed the host's voice. "Let me now explain the rest of the tournament. Will that suit you all?"

* * *

**Sloth: **Be honest with me- how was it? No seriously reader, what's your opinion on it?

The first section of the chapter is a French nursery rhyme known as "In My House, There is a..." in the English translation. I loved researching for French nursery rhymes and grew fond of them... I believe I will use some others along the way.

Forgive me if I made Akiza sound weak. I really didn't mean that to happen if that's how she came out. Also, I wasn't too fond of killing off Bruno. It's always the cute ones who die first, isn't it?

It's odd how I got the idea to write this. In English, a month ago I believe, one of my guy friends spoke about his family of nine living in a big house and his daily troubles in the house. The way he said "house of nine" off his tongue caught me off guard, and the more he said it, the more I fell in love with that term. I kept repeating it in my head, "house of nine, house of nine, house of nine...". Then, out of somewhere, this idea came to me. I thanked my friend for saying those three words, and at once I began to outline the story.

I think that's all I have to say.

Until next time (that is if you actually want to be tossed into a world of hurt).

**To those who are morbid as I, give a review. It might save a life (ouch).**

-Sloth


	2. Interval

**Sloth: **How did I not update sooner? Sometimes I swear I have bad time-managing skills. That means I have to pick up my pace in order to finish this story by the end of the month. I can do this.

I will admit that I am amazed that there are readers that are actually interested in this story. Makes me wonder how long they're willing to continue to read it in the much later chapters. Oh well. I'll just have to see as I continue to update more. Thank you, however, for taking your time in reading it. Means a lot to me.

That's all I really have to say in the intro.

Title: House of 9

Chapter two: Interval

* * *

_**Aux marches du palais**_

_Aux marches du palais_

_Aux marches du palais_

_Y a une tant belle fille, lon la,_

_Y a une tant belle fille._

_Elle a tant d'amoureux,_

_Elle a tant d'amoureux_

_Qu'elle ne sait lequel prendre, lon la,_

_Qu'elle ne sait lequel prendre._

_C'est un p'tit cordonnier,_

_C'est un p'tit cordonnier,_

_Qui eu sa préférence, lon la,_

_Qui eu sa préférence._

_Et c'est en la chaussant,_

_Et c'est en la chaussant,_

_Qu'il lui fit sa demande, lon la,_

_Qu'il lui fit sa demande._

_La belle si tu voulais,_

_La belle si tu voulais,_

_Nous dormirions ensemble, lon la,_

_Nous dormirions ensemble._

_Dans un grand lit carré,_

_Dans un grand lit carré,_

_Couvert de toile blanche, lon la,_

_Couvert de toile blanche._

_Aux quatre coins du lit,_

_Aux quatre coins du lit,_

_Un bouquet de pervenches, lon la,_

_Un bouquet de pervenches._

_Dans le mitan du lit,_

_Dans le mitan du lit,_

_La rivière est profonde, lon la,_

_La rivière est profonde._

_Tous les chevaux du roi,_

_Tous les chevaux du roi,_

_Pourraient y boire ensemble, lon la,_

_Pourraient y boire ensemble._

_Nous y serions heureux,_

_Nous y serions heureux,_

_Jusqu'à la fin du monde, lon la,_

_Jusqu'à la fin du monde._

* * *

"You're sick, you know that?" Crow growled to the direction of where the host's voice was coming from. He kneeled next to Yusei to see Bruno up close. The sight of Bruno was downright disturbing, and he assumed that even Bruno was surprised by his own death judging on how wide his eyes were opened. Examining the fear in his eyes, Crow cursed, "You're so fucking _sick_! How sick can you be?!"

The raven's body trembled and shook, and in a husky voice, he cried, "How can you ask us if it suits us? If there's anything that can suit us is for this 'game' of yours to end before it can begin."

"I'm afraid I cannot do that, my dear guests. You see, the game has already started with the two other guests," the host announced. "However, if you follow the tournaments rules, then the game can end quickly."

Jack crossed his arms, wearing an irritable expression on his face. He glanced at Yusei, who didn't bother to fight his tears as he wrapped his arms around the dead mechanic, and inquired to the host's voice, "All of this... it's only a game. Am I correct?"

"You are correct."

Sighing, Jack relaxed. _Then none of this is real, _he thought. _It's only a joke. Things will be okay in the end._

"It is only a game. All of what you can do with your five senses is part of the game, but let me explain the rest of the rules," offered the host. "In this game, or tournament, the remaining guests must find their way out of this chateau. There is only one, correct exit, but there will be also other possible exits; those can lead to different kinds of endings of the game. Most of them aren't pleasant in case you wanted to know.

"Throughout the chateau, there will be various notes scattered, and on each of the notes will have clues on how to find the correct exit. Gather as many notes as you can, and you'll find the exit. When you do, you win.

"There is more to say on this. Be wary on what rooms you stumble upon. Some of the rooms have unmentionable secrets to their own, and should they be revealed, any of the remaining guests will pay a price. Consider this whole chateau one, enormous maze- you must find the one and only true exit without learning more than you should know. You all will have until midnight to escape from the top floor. If you do not leave by then... let's leave it at that."

Sherry, wondering how long they had been out, asked, "Just how much time do we have left?"

"You have two remaining hours before you best be out of the chateau."

"That's unfair. You took half of our hours away," Kiryu complained through his gritting teeth. "You knocked us unconscious for a couple of hours and then say we only have two hours to get out?"

"Wait. What about Rua? What did you do to him?" Ruka, voice quivering with a trace of fear, asked.

The host justified his reasons, "I had to knock all seven of you unconscious in order to properly set up the game. It was only misfortune that it took all of you two hours to awake. As for your brother- his punishment is undetermined for now, but if neither of you seven can find him in time, he will pay his price as well as your other friend."

"I can't let you do that!" Yusei cried out loud. Shuddering, he studied the grim features of the body in his arms and stated, "You may have taken Bruno away from us... but you can't take Rua too!"

"Find the boy and leave the chateau in time, then it's all over," the host informed, "That is all I can say. I wish all of the remaining guests the best of luck. You will need it."

Having that said, the host said no more and officially left the seven guests at his mercy at the start of the game. After waiting for him to say something, they assumed that he was gone using the extended silence in the half-lit room as their evidence.

"He can't be serious, can he?" Akiza bewilderingly wondered. All of the rules and explanations to how the game worked placed her into a state of being dazzled. "This has got to be a joke, right?"

"Of course it has to be, no?" the tall, blonde man insisted to the psychic duelist. "It seems too much to be real. It's probably all a bad dream or something."

Annoyed that Jack was starting to become in denial, Crow slugged a small but mildly critical punch to his Jack's face.

"**OW!** What was that for?!"

Crow stared into the amethyst eyes of the taller male. Obviously pissed off, the redhead grouched, "This _isn't _a dream, Jack. If it was, that wouldn't have hurt, but that doesn't matter. We _need _to do something. Yusei, do you have any ideas what we should do first?"

They watched Yusei slowly turn Bruno's body over to find his cause of death. On his back and through his coat were several tears and deep gashes which had cold, crimson blood mixed with loose threads in them. Running his finger around his wounds, Yusei's eyes watered, and he despaired, "He really is gone. Bruno... he stabbed you, didn't he? It was a knife or a blade, wasn't it? He killed you. I'm sorry none of us were there to save you. I'm so sorry..."

Akiza watched him sadly. "It isn't your fault, Yusei," she murmured. _Is it really anyone's fault? Are we really to take blame for not seeing any of this coming? _She tightened her hands into fists. "We need to find Rua soon!"

Ruka disquieted, "Please! I'm really scared. What if something bad is happening to him?"

Laying Bruno's corpse onto the wooden floor softly, Yusei nodded, "Let's go find him."

Sherry agreed, "He may had started this strange game, but we need to keep each other close and alive."

"Okay. Where to, Yusei?" Crow patiently waited for his answer.

"We should explore the floor together," he informed.

Kiryu frowned and made a suggestion, "Why don't we split up into groups? This way we have more of a chance of finding him in a short amount of time."

Terrified at the thought, Yusei disagreed, "No. We need to be together. We need to be completely sure that we're safe throughout the way. I don't want to lose anyone else."

"I agree," Akiza remarked. "We could be in danger if we split."

Jack differed, "If we do, it is possible that we could miss saving Rua by a few seconds. I'm sorry, Yusei, but Kiryu is right on this one."

"Me too. I would rather have us go in groups alone than to not make it in time," Crow admitted.

Yusei thought for a moment and faced towards the young signer. "It is your brother we're talking about here, Ruka. What would you prefer?"

"... I think it's best if we split. Whatever helps find Rua faster is the best answer."

Sighing, Yusei instructed, "Let's separate into three groups. Ruka. Jack. I'll need you two with me. Crow, I hope you and Aki can work together."

"Of course we can," Crow assured.

Aki's heart sank when she heard his orders, but she pushed aside her sadness. _Being with Yusei doesn't matter right now. First comes Rua, _she thought to herself. She nodded to respond Yusei's order.

Yusei continued, "That leaves Kiryu with Sherry. I know you two don't personally know each other, but do your best to help another."

Kiryu smiled in confirmation, but Sherry for whatever reason appeared rather annoyed. Only Akiza caught the vexed expression on her face before it faded away.

_What's wrong with her? _Staring at the French girl for too long, Akiza was caught by Sherry who gave a wry smile to her. Aki, as quickly as she could, turned away and stared back at Yusei.

"Hopefully we'll find a way to communicate with each other and meet up eventually, but if we don't have the opportunity... then we have to survive for sure," Yusei announced. "All of you take care of each other. Promise me this."

All nodded in agreement. The first two to go out the chipped, dark door were Crow and Akiza, but before Aki set a foot out of the room, she shot a final glance at Yusei who was sobbing silently to Bruno's death. She felt a distorting pain slither into her heart as she watched the boy she love fall apart again. More than likely, Yusei was mourning not only to his death but to the fact that he would have to leave Bruno's body in the room since neither of them unfortunately can afford to lose time and energy to bring it home. Sending warm thoughts to him, Akiza hoped for the best for him.

Out in the hallway, Crow caught sight of a staircase leading the floor underneath them. "Do you think we should take a chance on the floor beneath us or explore this floor?" he asked.

Akiza answered rather boldly, "Let's go to the other floor. I'm sure Yusei and the others will at least explore this floor. We need to use our groupings as an advantage after all."

As they both climbed down the rigid, old stairs, the long, blonde girl from a distance watched specifically the psychic descend. Watching her every movement, a smirk sprouted on Sherry's lips. "This is going to be interesting," she whispered.

"What is?" Kiryu called behind her.

Brushing off her smirk and faking a smile, she replied as she continued to stare Akiza climbing down the stairs, "Nothing too particular. Nothing at all."

* * *

**Sloth: **In this chapter, "Down the Stairs of the Palace" was used. Yes it was directed towards the ending, but it the only one I found appropriate for this chapter. Oh boy. This chapter was a bit hard to write since no actual action was going on. I just can't wait to get to the more disturbing scenes and tragedies (oh great- my morbid side is showing). For now, nothing too dangerous is occurring to them.

What could Sherry be thinking? We'll have to find out later.

So... thanks for reading I guess. I'll try to update sooner.

-Sloth


	3. Radical

**Sloth: **I updated in the same week! I'm proud of myself for that. I should be updating again either the next day or around the weekend so I don't fall behind schedule. This is what happens when you're in marching band with so many other things going on in the month of October, but meh- it doesn't matter.

Okay! This chapter was going to be longer, but after some decisions, I cut it shorter. It should still be fine though (I hope). Anyways, thanks for still reading this so far and all that jazz.

Title: House of 9

Chapter three: Radical

* * *

_**Fais dodo, Colas mon p'tit frère**_

_Fais dodo, Colas mon p'tit frère_

_Fais dodo, t'auras du lolo_

_Maman est en haut_

_Qui fait des gâteaux_

_Papa est en bas_

_Qui fait du chocolat_

_Fait dodo Colas mon p'tit frère_

_Fait dodo, t'auras du lolo._

* * *

Up ahead of Crow and Akiza was a long, stretched hallway, and it was miraculous that they were able to see each potential door with the help of the poor lighting which was emitting from the small flames of the wax candles outside of the doors. The dim, golden lights heightened the mysterious, eerie mood in the scenery.

"That's kinda creepy," Crow muttered.

"At least there's no sign of danger so far," Aki replied as she walked towards the end of the hallway while glancing at each door she passed by. Despite the age of the chateau seemed to be, the doors have yet to decay, the floors underneath the rich, maroon carpet supported their weight, and the walls had not a single hole punctured in them. Over all, the chateau, judging from the hallway, was still in perfect condition.

When she reached the end, a white note underneath the last candle holder caught her attention. Curious, Aki stood on the tip of her toes to reach it from the high, elevated candle holder.

"What is it?" the redhead asked as he watched her attempt to reach it.

"I'm not sure," Akiza answered, "I think it might be a clue." She struggled to reach for it even after she stretched out her arm as she possibly could.

"You would think that your heels would help."

"Yeah, but they're really not helping, Crow. And neither are you."

Crow smiled childishly and half-joked, "When you do get it, Aki, don't catch it on fire."

"Trust me. I wouldn't dare of doing that. We need these clues," the psychic duelist informed. Giving herself a small push upward, Akiza finally snatched the note. Unfolding the note, she motioned Crow to come read it with her.

Clearing her throat, she read it out loud, "'Answers to problems are often near, but it is the journey in finding them that makes the problems difficult to solve'."

Knitting his eyebrows, Crow pondered, "What could that mean? Like the exit is close, or is it Rua it's referring to?"

"Let's hope. It'd be nice if anyone of those two are nearby," Akiza hoped, handing the paper over to Crow.

He examined the note, studying the letters which appeared morbid themselves. _Of all colors, why red? What if it's written in blood? _Crow shivered at the thought. He placed the note into his pants pocket and suggested, "We should pick a door."

Already standing in front of the door at the end of the hallway, Akiza turned the metal doorknob and opened the door slowly. Inside the room was pure, pitched-black, and the only light provided was the faint light from the candles. From what Akiza felt on the inner walls, there were no light switches.

Contemplating whether or not to enter the room, Aki turned to Crow. "Should we try it after all?"

"Why not? Take a chance."

Swallowing a gulp of air, Akiza bravely set one foot on the floor. Nothing happened. Slowly she cautiously walked inside the dark room, and from Crow's perspective, she was slowly being engulfed by the unknown darkness. Akiza, when she guessed that she was in the middle, stopped in her tracks.

Shooting a glance at Crow over her shoulder, Akiza smiled almost too assuredly. "It's safe," she informed.

Crow cautiously stepped inside and met with Akiza in the middle. He looked around before he stated, "I don't think there's anything here worth checking out."

"I don't think so either," Akiza sighed in response. "Let's go to the other rooms."

They were ready to walk out of the room until an odd noise caught their attention.

_**Shiing shiing**_

"What was that?" Crow spoke in a near whisper.

_**Shiing shiing**_

Akiza looked around the darkness that surrounded them, and hopelessly answered, "I don't know. It almost sounds like glass."

Crow frowned, "Glass. There aren't any windows here... Unless..."

At once, Crow raised his head to the ceiling, and with the help of the poor lighting, his eyes registered the outline of a large, heavy glass chandelier looming above their heads. If his eyes were correct, the wire that held it onto the ceiling was tearing.

"You've got to be kidding me," Akiza whispered as she immensely watched the threads finally unravel.

_**SNAP!**_

"_**AKIZA****!**"_

Faster than a human can blink, Crow lunged himself to Akiza to push her out of the way. A loud crash roared in the room as the chandelier demolished the floor underneath it. If it wasn't for Crow's quick thinking, Akiza would have been smashed along with the section of the floor by the falling chandelier.

Getting off of her and helping her stand up, Crow asked Akiza, "You okay?"

"Yeah. I just had a deer in headlights moment," Akiza panted, trying to recover from the sudden event. She gazed over to where the door was and saw that it was no longer an exit since the gigantic hole on the floor was too big to consider jumping over.

"What now?"

When all hope seemed to be lost, in the corner of her eye, Akiza spotted a white light permeating through a crack on what was probably from the lower floor. She guessed out loud, studying the light, "There's probably a door down there."

"Yup. I guess there is one after all." To check how high up they were, Crow spat into the hole (which made Akiza cringe at a time like this) and listened carefully for its landing.

**_Tip_**

He looked at Akiza and smiled, "We can do this." Crow crouched near the edge and slid under as he gripped firmly on the shattered floor's end.

"Watch out for glass, Crow," Akiza warned.

Crow nodded, and before he could make any second thoughts, he let go of his grip and fell. With a nice, moderate thud, he landed on the floor below. "Your turn," he called.

Trembling a tad bit, Akiza reluctantly walked over to the edge. She peered into the hole and saw Crow give her a mischievous grin. She sighed as she calmed herself down before she would leap. _ Come on, Akiza. You got this. Don't be afraid. _

Shutting her eyes closed, she jumped.

* * *

"No use. This door won't open either," Yusei disappointedly announced to Jack and Ruka.

On the top floor, the three had been running into doors that would not open, and if they were able to access a room, they found nothing because so far all of the rooms were vacant. Eventually they would run out of doors of the twenty rooms, and the more they tried to open a door, the less hopeful they were becoming.

Ruka unsuccessfully tried to open another door, but when it wouldn't open, she cried, "There has to be one unlocked room with something inside."

Yusei nodded, "There has to be at least one on this floor." Yusei tried again to open another door, and as he attempted to, he saw Jack standing with his arms crossed while wearing his natural poker face. "Jack, at least you can try to jimmy any door knob."

The tall, blonde man was unmoved by Yusei's request. Instead of helping, he replied, "I don't think that's necessary."

"What do you mean?"

Jack explained, "If so far all doors are locked and the rooms we have entered are empty, then it wouldn't be necessary to continue to explore this floor, would it? The probability of finding a room with something is small, and the probability of finding Rua is even smaller."

Disagreeing with Jack, Yusei disaccorded, "It may be small, but it is still a chance." He then continued to try to open the remaining doors.

Shrugging, Jack for once found the nearest door and began to follow Yusei and Ruka. On his first try, the knob turned, and the door opened without any difficulty. Jack peeked inside the room, expecting it to be vacant. His eyes widened when he saw that it wasn't.

"Yusei. Ruka. I found something," Jack called the other two over.

Standing next to the Aussie, Yusei pushed the door completely wide open. Ruka gasped at the sight of the room. The room that Jack had found was an abandoned nursery room. In it were rows of multiple wooden cribs that nearly filled the entire room. On the floors from what they saw were broken dolls and forgotten baby blankets, and the windows' curtains were pulled back enough to see the full moon clearly. With care, the three entered the room.

"How many babies did this house used to have?" Ruka wondered as she studied the rusted, frail mobiles that hung over the cribs.

"More than enough," Jack answered curtly, walking through the aisles between the cribs. He heard a soft, smashing noise coming from his feet, and he raised his foot and saw that he had accidentally stepped on a porcelain doll, smashing half of its face inward. Curious, Jack picked up the broken doll and studied it.

Whatever was left intact, the doll had fair, pale skin and bright, glowing, green eyes that contrasted against its rich, blonde hair. Jack ran his fingers through the silky hair and noticed the dress pattern. Though it was tattered from age, patterns of white roses were visible. The sight of the white roses made Jack ponder.

_White rose... why does it sound familiar?_

"Jack? What is it?" Yusei asked, walking towards him.

Jack handed over the doll, and as he did so, a note flew out of its skirt. Yusei bent over to pick it up, and he read it out loud, "'Don't always assume that peaceful rooms have nothing to offer."

Jack snorted, "Please. If anything, this room is absurd, not 'peaceful'. Anyway, Yusei, doesn't this doll remind you of something?"

Inspecting the porcelain doll in his hand, Yusei became to feel uncomfortable on how oddly similar the doll's appearance was to one of their friend's. Same blonde hair and radiant, green eyes, Yusei turned to Jack, "It looks a lot like Sherry... Jack, what could this mean?"

"It's only a coincidence. Nothing more," the blonde suggested as he continued to walk around.

While Jack and Yusei conversed, Ruka's attention was caught by the malformed corner in the room. The baby wallpaper of cuddly bears with balloons warped over the section, and there were strange, suspicious moldings as if there was something underneath the wall paper. As she inspected it, her duel monster spirit, Kuribon, flew around her, urging her that there really was something off about it.

"What is it, Kuribon? Is there something there? Is it... a door?" Ruka, after she had spoken these words, caught her breath and started to claw away the wallpaper, ripping it almost as if she was possessed. After she tore away the wallpaper, Ruka discovered that underneath the wallpaper were planks nailed over a doorway.

"Ruka, you have to open it," urged Regulus, her white lion spirit. "Your brother is in there!"

Ruka's heart stopped to those words, and it raced madly when she realized what they meant. _Rua's in there! _Panicking for his safety, she asked the spirits, "How?! How can I save him?!"

Kuribon floated towards the metal cabinet on the other side of the room. She followed and opened the cabinet vehemently and rummaged among the bottles and baby food supplies for anything that could pry the planks off the door way. To her horror, she found a double-bladed axe at the far back, but instead of wasting energy in being terrified, she seized it and ran back to the sealed door way.

As much strength as she could muster from her frail, small body, Ruka slammed the axe's blade into the planks. She needed to know if Rua was still alive. She needed to know now!

"Ruka! What are you doing?!" Yusei inquired, watching her struggle.

Fighting back her tears, Ruka answered, not once stopping, "Rua! He's in here! Rua's in here!"

Before she knew it, Jack snatched the axe off of her hands and chopped the planks off completely in one violent blow. When the doorway was at last revealed, the three stood motionless as they tried to register what they saw.

"Rua..." his twin sister whispered.

* * *

**Sloth: **For this chapter, I used the French lullaby "Go to sleep, Colas, my little brother" for obvious reasons. It kind of gives a special eeriness to Rua's safety, but it isn't exactly effective sine Rua's older than Ruka.

As I wrote this chapter, I kept thinking about Slenderman with the notes in the chateau. In fact, I was so tempted to throw him in there when Crow and Aki walked into the room. It would've been funny, but then again, it kinda would've destroyed the story a bit. Plus, Slenderman is German, not French, and the chateau is in the middle of a field so no trees are near by (note: die ritter, or "the woodcutter" originates in Germany and is seen as a woodcutter who lives near the woods).

I am pleased with this chapter. Nothing too big but yet there was enough action to make it interesting. I was originally going to include Sherry and Kiryu in this chapter, but it sounded a lot better if I cut it off with Ruka's struggle. Leaves a good cliff hanger, no? Besides, more than likely I'll start chapter four with those two.

**I should probably warn ahead of time that the next chapter will have disturbing scenes that include blood, psychotic characters, violence, and maybe some mutilations. Just expect for the rated M to come into play.**

Hopefully I'll update sometime real soon.

Thanks for reading!

-Sloth


	4. Fibber

**Sloth: **I lied! There is no blood, gore, or mutilations in this chapter. I got too focused on one section of the plot that I didn't evenly separate the scenes and events and didn't write more than I wanted, but hey, at least I have this section down. Oh, and I apologize ahead of time if this chapter is confusing. Believe me- I'm confused too. Also, please excuse the ooc-ness in this chapter.

I realized that I never really warned about language (oh well), but I haven't said any disclaimers at all in this fanfic... In that case...

**Disclaimer:** I don't anything! NOTHING!

There. I feel better.

Title: House Of 9

Chapter four: Fibber

* * *

**Le coq est morta**

Le coq est mort, le coq est mort

Le coq est mort, le coq est mort

Il ne dira plus co-co-di, co-co-da

Il ne dira plus co-co-di, co-co-da

Coco cocodi cocodi, coda

* * *

"Watch your step," Kiryu warned Sherry as they descended down the steps of the broken stairs. Three floors below the top floor, the two discovered that the further down they descended, the less stable were the steps. Every now and then, a step would break underneath them, and the other person would have to catch the other from falling.

Majority of their time spent together, neither of them spoke a word among each other, and if they did, it was a warning or a suggestion to which way they should go next. Neither of them seemed to know each other enough to strike a conversation worth having.

It would explain the reason why Kiryu was surprised when Sherry asked, "What's your connection with the others?"

The silverette smiled as they walked through a dark hallway. "We were a team together- Yusei, Jack, Crow, and I. I was the leader, and we were called-"

"No. I don't care about that," Sherry bitterly interrupted him, "That's not at all what I want to know."

Kiryu raised an eyebrow. "Okay... Um... what _do _you want to hear?"

Sherry smirked, "Tell me about your connection with Akiza."

"Akiza? There's nothing I can tell you about her and I. I never really talk to her..." he answered, wondering why on Earth Sherry would want to know about him and Akiza. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason really. I wanted to know more about Akiza than I do now. That's all."

_Stalker much? _"Fair enough. Just can't help you there, Sherry."

"I do wish you were able to tell me anything about Akiza, but as I see it, it is better that you have limited knowledge than knowing everything about her."

"Why's that?" Although he sounded interested, Kiryu was hoping that she would eventually shut up and go back as she was before she talked. All the things she said were the least appealing, and honestly, they were beginning to freak him out a bit.

"If you knew her too much, Kiryu, then you would be an enemy of mine," Sherry simply explained her reason, unaware of the uncertainty Kiryu was expressing.

_Definitely a stalker. _Attempting to end the topic, Kiryu scoffed, "If you say so. Hey, let's go check out some of the rooms." He pushed open one of the doors and entered inside with Sherry following him. Lucky for them, the light switch worked, and the small, ceiling lamp allowed them to freely explore the room.

In the middle of the olive green room was a small pipe organ with a series of string instruments standing next to it. Near the instruments was a large bookcase that held several of folders and music scores. Across the chamber organ was a large, metal metronome, which was resonating an andante tempo, resting on the top of the podium.

"A music room. What were the odds of that?" Sherry, amused by the room's possessions, asked.

Kiryu shrugged, "Beats me."

The French girl, with a gleam in her eyes, inquired, "Do you know how to play any of these instruments?"

He laughed, "Oh no. I don't know really," Kiryu pulled out his harmonica that hung around his neck forward, "This is probably the only think I'll ever know how to play."

"Such a shame. I can play bits of piano and violin," she bragged.

_Wouldn't surprise me. _"That's wonderful, Sherry," Kiryu lied, again wanting her to shut up. "We should look for a clue or something. A room like this surely must have something important."

Drawing a long sigh and rolling her eyes, Sherry agreed and searched around the string instruments for anything helpful. As much Kiryu was bothered by her, Sherry felt the same attitude towards him. To her, Kiryu was downright useless and provided her no benefitting knowledge of the person she was most interested in. Sherry scowled and cursed under her breath, "I should've been paired up with Akiza."

"What was that?" Kiryu, who was examining the folders which mostly held blank music sheets, called.

"I said nothing," she fibbed, examining a viola in her hands.

_Whatever. She did so say something. _"If you say so," Kiryu sighed. It was ridiculous that he knew that he wasn't too pleased with the French girl's presence anymore. At first he thought he could handle working with her, but now he wasn't too sure anymore. Sherry was getting on his nerves, he knew, but Kiryu tried his very best not to show his annoyance even though it was really hard not to.

It didn't help either that when Sherry abruptly played a lower octave C on the chamber organ, Kiryu dropped the music sheets and sent them flying in the air. The wailing, hollow note at fortissimo surprised him and scared him senseless.

"**SHIT!** Sherry, you could've said something ahead of time!" Kiryu cursed, retrieving the many sheets off the floor.

"Why should I?" she almost sneered. Sherry continued to play on the low octave keys even after how upset she made Kiryu become from the sudden note.

Scowling, Kiryu shot a menacing glare at her. "What is your problem?"

Sherry paused for a moment before replaying, "I don't have a problem." Her fingers lightly skimmed across the keys, playing the scales with the metronome's slow tempo.

"Clearly you do have a problem," Kiryu muttered to himself, but out loud he replied casually as he could, "Have you found anything yet by the way?"

Now only playing short, staccato eighth notes of the same low C key, Sherry retorted, "No. Not from what I looked around. How about you?"

Sorting the music into a neat pile, Kiryu shook his head. "I got nothing. Maybe we should move out."

"Maybe we should," she agreed, continuing to not only play the same note at the same rhythm but also playing the same note at the highest octave level.

The silverette, becoming annoyed by the same music patterns, opened his mouth to say "If you're going to play, play it right", but his attention was caught by a small note slowly jutting out from the middle C key. Each time she would rest, it would fall back in. He walked over and pointed it out to Sherry, "Keep playing. There's a note between the middle B and C keys."

Noticing the note, Sherry played with one finger as she pulled it out with her other hand. After she stopped playing, Sherry unfolded the tiny note. Kiryu waited patiently for her to read it out loud, but after Sherry began to tuck it into her pocket, Kiryu growled. Out of strife, he seized her wrist and ripped the note out of her pocket.

"Why didn't you show it to me?!" he snarled as he vehemently unfolded the note. He didn't understand her actions at all. Sherry, from her actions, was really unhelpful and was a horrible partner, and she kept things for her own benefits. Kiryu by now had little tolerance for her. "What could be so bad?!"

"Go ahead look, you_ murderer_," Sherry hissed back, her eyes glairing him like daggers.

"_'Murderer'_? What the hell are you talking about?"

"The note!"

Kiryu at last read the note. It read:

_To the pair who walks in, one of you is the murderer._

There were two negative statements in the note, Kiryu observed. First, the host must have predicted that the seven remaining guests would separate, and second, according to the clue, there was a murderer among them. He chuckled before he frowned, "What makes you think that I'm the murderer, Sherry? Who's to say it's not any of the others? Better yet, how do I know it's not _you _who is the murderer?"

Sherry leaned against the chamber piano behind her. She leered, "Oh, it's not the others. It has to be one of us two since we found this room. I can't be the murderer. I have evidence that I'm not. You do not however."

"Care to tell me more?"

"Let's think. I was second to last to regain my conscious from the blow to the head, right before Akiza had awaken. You, on the other hand, were one of the few that woke up before the others. During the time we were all unconscious, you could have had the opportunity to murder Bruno-"

"Whoa whoa!" Kiryu scowled, "You're implying that _I _killed Bruno? Why would I do that?"

Sherry rolled her eyes. "I don't know why you would. Perhaps... you were jealous of him?"

"Jealous? Why would I be jealous of Bruno? I don't even know him!" he laughed vitriolically. _She can't be serious can she? Where did she get a fucked up idea like that?_

"I can think of one reason. Bruno is replacing you in Yusei's, Jack's, and Crow's heart. They enjoy being around him more than they ever did with you. They _love _him more than you will ever receive," Sherry inputted.

Kiryu's heart sank, but he brushed it off and retorted, "They do not! They still love me. Also, I am not jealous of Bruno for befriending and living with them. I have my own personal priorities to take care of, like taking care of West and Nico."

"Exactly. Because you're so busy with your own needs, they can't really reconnect with you. You're not amusing to them anymore, Kiryu."

"Sherry, you're so annoying. You talk nothing but shit. I know them well enough to know that they still love, and also Sherry, you don't know _anything _about us four."

"I don't, but I still can say that you're the murderer."

"I did _not kill _him, Sherry! As to your theory, it seems as though you're awfully familiar with it to actually be innocent. _**You're the murderer!**_" Kiryu justified.

As her last defense, Sherry growled, "At least _I_ don't have a _knife _in my pocket!"

Kiryu reached into his pocket, laughing at her absurd defense. "I can't believe you still think I'm the murderer. I do not have-" He stopped cold in his movements. Something warm and slender was underneath the palm of his hand. His golden eyes grew sharp, and the expression of horror was plastered on his face. He slowly pulled out the object out of his coat pocket. Out he pulled a sharp knife, still tainted with warm, crimson blood. Not believing what he just pulled out, Kiryu faltered, "... have... have a knife in my pocket."

A sinister grin sprouted on her lips. "Well, Kiryu... what do you have to say now?"

Kiryu's body trembled in fear. Confused and puzzled as to why he had a knife in his coat pocket, he wavered, "... I don't understand. I... I didn't kill him! _I didn't!_"

The French girl mocked him while pulling knife the knife off his hand and waving it in front of him, flecking some of the blood on his face, "It has your fingerprints on it. It has Bruno's blood on it too. You _killed __**Bruno! **_You, who were awake before the others, took your advantage to kill him. You don't remember because you probably tricked yourself into forgetting it! You had made yourself innocent, Kiryu, but _**YOU ARE THE MURDERER!**_ Wait until the others learn that you killed their friend! A friend who is better than you, and now they have a reason to hate you! _**MURDERER!**_"

"No. No! _**NO!**_" Kiryu screamed, knocking the knife off her hand. "_**NO! THIS ISN'T HAPPENING!**_" Had he really killed Bruno? Was he really jealous? Kiryu wasn't sure anymore.

Frantically his eyes raced around the room, looking for a way out to escape the room. The door was so far away from where he stood from, and Kiryu couldn't find the strength to bring his body there with the heavy burden of being marked as the murderer. Subconsciously he backed himself away from Sherry as far as he could until his back hit the glass window behind him. Fearing for his life, he spun around and in awe stared at the large window that reflected the fields and the luminescent moon. Quivering in frightfulness, Kiryu whispered, "I'm so sorry, Yusei."

Drawing as much force as he could draw, he threw his body against the glass window, shattering it into pieces as he fell through. To save himself, Kiryu wrapped his arms around him to shield himself from the ground and kept his feet down. Despite the fall from the third floor, Kiryu rolled forward and landed unharmed on his feet, and forgetting about the others, Kiryu ran passed the gates and out of the chateau's land madly.

Up from the window, Sherry smirked and picked up the knife. She laughed coldly as she twirled the blade between her fingers, "Took me a while to get rid of him. Now then- to find Akiza."

* * *

**Sloth: **"The Rooster is Dead" is a children's song that originally came from Germany. Huh. Well how about that? I was originally going to have Sherry sing that to mock Kiryu, but I think she's already has done enough to confuse him. Again, sorry for the ooc-ness. Didn't intentionally meant for that to happen since I really have no clue how those two would act with another. Oh... as I wrote this, clearly I enjoyed writing musical terms. Being the natural band geek I am, I really did.

So this was chapter four... five more and then it's complete. I can do this!

I'm pretty sure this time that the next chapter will have the **blood, gore, and mutilations**, so don't say I didn't warned you.

That's it for now.

-Sloth


	5. Caput

**Sloth: **Here we go again. Another (failed) chapter. Maybe it is, maybe it's not. Doesn't matter. What should matter is that I should (crossing fingers) be able to update two more times this week. I won't give up. I need to finish strong.

I present you yet another chapter. I hope it's not bad...

Title: House of 9

Chapter five: Caput

* * *

**J'ai vu le loup, le renard, le lièvre**

J'ai vu le loup, le renard, le lièvre,

J'ai vu le loup, le renard cheuler*.

C'est moi-même qui les ai rebeuillés*.

J'ai vu le loup, le renard, le lièvre,

C'est moi-même qui les ai rebeuillés.

J'ai vu le loup, le renard cheuler.

J'ai ouï* le loup, le renard, le lièvre,

J'ai ouï le loup, le renard chanter.

C'est moi-même qui les ai rechignés,

J'ai ouï le loup, le renard, le lièvre,

C'est moi-même qui les ai rechignés,

J'ai ouï le loup, le renard chanter.

J'ai vu le loup, le renard, le lièvre,

J'ai vu le loup, le renard danser,

C'est moi-même qui les ai revirés,

J'ai vu le loup, le renard, le lièvre,

C'est moi-même qui les ai revirés,

J'ai vu le loup, le renard danser.

* * *

None of the three imagined how they would find Rua, and certainly they never dared to dream his conditions when they did. Blindfolded, hands tied together on top of his knees, and his body compressed tightly under a contorting, torture device, Rua's hair, body, and clothes were partially soaked in blood. Dark, carnelian liquid pooled under his chin that touched his knees, and cuts, ranging from large and small, covered his bare, skinny arms. The sight alone was too horrible that no words known to man could ever describe it accurately. Fear instilled itself into their minds for the same frightening thought had crossed their minds: They were too late.

"No..." Yusei staggered, his voice shaking. "It' can't- Ngh! _RUA_!"

He was about to enter the shallow doorway and release the crouching child, but Ruka, absolutely terrified for her twin, ran past Yusei and wrapped her arms around him and the device, crying, "_Rua! Please! You can't leave me! __**I need you!**_"

Yusei met his eyes with Jack's which bore emotions of despair. He muttered, "We came too late! We were so close too! If we had come sooner, this wouldn't have happen!"

Tears cascading down her soft cheeks, Ruka tighten her arms, smearing blood onto her own clothes. She begged desperately, "_Please! Don't leave me behind. Rua!_"

In her arms, the body stirred under the compressing device. "Ngh... Ruka?"

Ruka caught her breath and shook him. "Rua! Rua! Talk to me!"

Yusei started to unbound him by unscrewing the device's screw, all the while urging him, "Come on, Rua. Hang in there!"

Jack stood still and examined the small hidden room. There was something... strange and dangerous about that room. Something eerie was awfully nearby, and the tense atmosphere enforced the feeling of insecurity. Uneasy, Jack crossed his arms and scowled, "Yusei, there's something wrong with this room."

"That can wait, Jack. First we need to check if Rua's alright," Yusei dismissed Jack's warning and at last removed the blindfold off of Rua's face once the device loosened enough for the boy to crawl out. "Rua... Say something!"

Crawling out and sitting upwards, Rua rubbed his eyes to fully wake himself, but as ill-fortune would have it, he saw the pool of blood underneath him. Frightened, he jumped, "This isn't my blood, is it?! I- I don't remember him hurting me... W-why are my arms cut?!"

"Calm down, Rua. I know you're scared, but I need you to tell me what happened. Was it the host? What did he do to you?" Yusei tried to calm the young boy as he himself was trying to calm his own fears. Seeing Rua freaking out was starting to put Yusei over the edge.

"I don't know! I- I- I don't remember how I fell asleep in the first time. I remember getting hit by something hard. I woke up in the baby room, and the host entered the room and was telling me that I should be happy that I started the game," Rua rammed his words together in one breath before inhaling harshly to continue. "I don't know why he would say that since he made a big deal about it earlier, but- but then he threw me into this place and forced me under that thing! He screwed it tightly and tied my hands so I couldn't escape. I kept screaming. The host tried to get me to shut up, and instead of covering my mouth, he blindfolded me. He then made me smell a strong scent, and I was losing my thoughts. I was starting to lose track of everything, and I don't really remember too well after that, but then- and then..."

"And then what?"

Rua bit his lips and trembled. "I heard an _awful _noise! I don't know what it was! After that, I didn't hear anything, and everything went dark. I don't remember anything else. I- I don't remember. I don't remember feeling the cuts if he did hurt me. I didn't feel anything. I think it was the smell that did that to me. Yusei! _I don't know!_"

In a fit of tears, Ruka bawled and embraced her twin once more, "Oh Rua! I was so _scared! _I thought you were _dead_!"

Rua trembled and cried as well, "I thought I was going to die! I was scared for my life too! I- I didn't know if _you _and the others were safe too!"

As much as the whole scene between the two children was important, Jack uncomfortably looked into the small room. Again, he tried to insist Yusei of the uneasy aura that floated around them, "Yusei... there really _is _something wrong. It almost feels as though someone else is in there too!"

This time Yusei listened to his friend's concern. "What do you mean? I don't see anyone in here..."

Taking a risk, Jack walked past Yusei and the twins and studied the darkness. Unsure of what was indeed in there, he cautiously peered farther into the room, and as an awful surprise, he saw a familiar thin, tall body in front of him. The face of the body was none other than the face of the host of the sick, twisted game. Clenching his teeth tightly, Jack growled, "What are you doing here?! You lied to us! This _isn't _a game! This is _**nothing**_ like a game!"

"Jack! What's in there?" Yusei called insecurity in his voice.

"It's that bastard that brought us here!" Jack grabbed the collar of this tuxedo and spat as he shook him violently, "What kind of disturbing pleasure do you get from this?! ANSWER ME!"

Unfortunately, Jack was extremely unprepared for the sudden twist that happened as he shook the host. Sliding of his neck, the head of the host promptly crashed to the blonde's feet with an awful slosh following it. Utterly appalled by what had happened, Jack fell backwards and landed on his rear. His eyes widened as he captured the ghastly expression on the host's decapitated head. Heart jammed in his throat, Jack screamed a blood-curdling howl.

Alert by the horrid howl, Yusei ran past the twins and advocated Jack, "What is it?! Jack, what's-" His eyes landed on the host's head, and he himself stepped back and averted his eyes in desperation. He looked at Jack, who was quivering out of extreme fright, and palpitate along with him. "Jack! What _happened_?!"

In a state of shock, Jack shook his head rapidly and whispered, "I don't know. I saw him standing there, and I demanded him to answer my questions, but then... Oh god, Yusei- his _head rolled off! _It landed on my feet and... Yusei! **WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING TO ALL OF US**?**!**"

"I don't know! I don't know, Jack! I'm confused as you are!" the raven hollered as he fell to the floor along with Jack.

The twins, having watched the two adults fall to the floor, wondered what could have possibly caused them to drop in fear. Their tears ceased, and instead of sadness, dread filled their heart.

Reluctant to ask, Rua stuttered, "Jack? Yusei? W-what's wrong? What happened over there?"

Jumping out of their skins, the two adults screeched in unison, "_**NO! DON'T COME OVER HERE!**_"

"What is it?! You're scaring me!" Rua cried.

Yusei shot a panicked look at his best friend. "We can't tell them! It's too much!"

"Of course it is! Did you really think that I would tell them? Yusei- this place is not a game! He _lied _to us!"

"I know he did! Jack- what are we going to do?! The very host is dead! I don't even know if we're able to still escape!"

Jack hissed, "We _have _to! Jack Atlas isn't going to die here, and neither of us is either!"

"Still- who could've done this?" Yusei hopelessly asked him.

He sighed, "Beats me. To be frank, I don't want to find out."

Rua suddenly gasped in realization, "Wait! Is Bruno okay?! Did you found him too?!"

Despair slipped onto the others' faces. Jack and Yusei were dumbstruck at the same thought: _How are we going to tell him?_

* * *

After stumbling in complete darkness, Crow turned the discovered doorknob of the door they believed that would be underneath the previous floor, and at last light penetrated through the darkness as they stepped inside a pure, white room. Walking slowly and taking in the white light, they both smiled. At last they found a light that wasn't disturbing. To top it all as well, the room they stumble upon wasn't too bad either. In fact, it was a study room filled with bookshelves, and on the coffee table in the center of the room were numbers of documents. A large grandfather clock, which stood near the door, read 10:49.

Crow rubbed his chin. "Gee, that can't be good."

"We need to get of here in time," Akiza asserted as she paced around the study. "There has to be another clue around here."

"Or at least another door," he added, walking around the bookshelves.

Hoping to find another clue, Aki sat down on a white, reclining chair and grabbed a handful of documents to read through. The documents were un-amusing as they were about real estates and business affairs. One document did catch her attention however. She pulled out a document that was certainly a huge clue that would help them escape. It was map of all of the floors in the chateau she had in her hands.

She smiled, "Crow! Come here! I found a map!"

"Seriously? You did?" Crow looked over Akiza's shoulder, and he smiled jubilantly. "That's great! We could use this!"

Akiza rose from her seat and pointed out, "We're on the second floor. Oh my gosh... We're on the _second floor!_"

His smile widened. "This is great! We'll be out of here in no time. So- how many rooms do we have to go through?"

"Not too many. There's a staircase at the end of the hallway. The next room we should run into is a recreation room." She announced, folding the map into her pocket. "Let's go, Crow."

"Right behind you."

Everything was perfect! Both of them would be able to leave the house in time, and soon Akiza would re-unite with Yusei who was probably by now at the exit, knowing him. She blushed as she thought of how skilled Yusei was under hard circumstances. She wished she was able to be calm at situation like this.

Spotting the other door, Akiza opened it, and another long, stretched hallway was revealed to them. All too familiar with the same lighting and architecture, they proceeded through the hallway. They were going to make it out, they knew.

Crow, noticing how Akiza's walk was becoming to stagger, asked, "Aki? You okay? You're kinda losing your balance..."

Akiza was too busy gloating on their small accomplishment to hear Crow trying to tell her something. The only things on her mind were Yusei and the exit.

"Akiza. Are you okay?"

She heard it that time. "Yes, Crow. I am okay..." Her eyes squinted. Were the lights going out? She could feel her own legs betraying her as they felt weak. Her body contradicted her words, and not long she collapsed onto the floor unconscious.

Alarmed Crow panicked as he tried to stir her, "Akiza! Akiza! Not now! We're so close! Hey, you got to wake up!"

No response. Crow drew a long sigh and groaned, "I guess I have to carry you then..."

* * *

**Sloth: **"I Saw the Wolf, the Fox, the Hare" is yet another children's song. I find it interesting how it's based on those in power taxing the poor. Isn't it interesting that sometimes things like this become sort of a satire to be sung later on? I don't know; I find it somewhat cool.

Let's face it... it sucked, didn't it? Oh well. Whatever. That's what I get for not following my original outlines, but I am somewhat satisfied with my results. Still, I listened to some constructive criticism to hopefully improve the story. Please- feel free to critique me. I absolutely love getting help and suggestions. Makes me feel as though I do potential that which should be guided to the right path, so do continue to do so.

I don't believe anything too dark is going to occur in the next chapter, and if there is, I'll warn in the first intro.

Thanks again for reading, and please do critique. The Sloth feeds off of it!

-Sloth


	6. Fate

**Sloth: **Oh dear. I realized I forgot to add something to the ending a/n from the last chapter. For any of the interested parties, the torture device that Rua was in is the scavenger's daughter. It's a contorting medieval device that victims would stay locked inside for weeks until their bones would crush completely, causing their death.

Anyways, I bring you chapter six! No blood or violence in this one, however, I apologize if the beginning part is confusing. Hopefully it won't be towards the end of the first half.

Title: House of 9

Chapter six: Fate

* * *

**Il était une fois une fleur**

Il était une fois une fleur

Elle s'ouvre un peu, beaucoup

Un papillon arrive, il se pose sur la fleur

Hum! que ça sent bon

Le papillon s'envole et il disparait

la fleur se referme, se fane et elle disparait

* * *

All she could see was blackness that shrouded the vast, endless area. Reclining on the invisible ground, Akiza observed the darkness in hopes of getting a hint to where she was, but her hope lessened when she realized that she was the only soul within the spacious region of whatever part of the chateau. Akiza, unsure where she was exactly, raised herself from the ground and walked around cautiously the unknown abyss.

Her footsteps echoed with hollowness throughout her walk, and every small detailed noise from the folding of her dress filled the void of silence as well. The farther she walked, the more Akiza began to feel wary of her location. _This is so unlike anything Crow and I have crossed before. Am I being_ _watched? Is someone at the end of the room? Where is Crow anyway? _

As such thoughts ran through her head, behind her shed a lustrous, blinding light. Catching sight of her own shadow on the floor, Akiza turned back and shielded her eyes from the intensity of the lights. Her eyes squinting, she could make out the wooden frames of the opened door which illuminated the unknown abyss. Akiza frowned and thought over the decisions that she could make. She could either: 1.) continue to walk aimlessly in the darkness and run into something either good or bad or 2.) enter the light and hope that she isn't led into any sort of a trap. Both had a downfall, but in the end, Akiza chose to turn around and give the light a chance. After all, light in the darkness meant good or so she thought.

However, as she walked towards the light, the region she was in suddenly seemed to... grow? Akiza couldn't explain it to herself. The more steps she took, the room expanded that it made it look like Akiza wasn't going anywhere but instead walked in one single spot. Disturbed that she had yet to reach the door, she picked up her speed and ran. The room stopped expanding which cause her to sigh in relief. _It's only my imagination, _she told herself.

Not expecting the next twist, the floor started to shatter behind her. Akiza gasped when she heard the numbers of crack on the floor grow, and without hesitating, she dashed forward into the bright, running faster than she ever had in her life. Floor breaking under her at last, she took the chance of fate and threw herself to the ledge of the door's floor. Akiza hang tightly onto the only surface of the now bottomless pit and pulled herself into the doorway. The second she stood up, the door with a great force slammed itself. She laughed nervously while staring back at the closed door.

_Oh great- now doors are after me? _She shook her head. _I can't get paranoid. I won't let paranoia affect my escape to this place._ Distracting her mind, Akiza looked forward and saw a long, dining table, large enough for twenty-seated guests, at the far distance. This time, assured that neither the room was going to expand or the floor was going to fall apart, she walked towards and seated herself into one of the empty seats.

She frowned as she fiddled with the eating utensils that were set on her section of the table. _Why am I here? There's no one but me here. _She picked up the soup spoon and studied her reflection. Bored, she moved it in different angles to catch all sides of her face until she saw a blurred reflection of Kiryu walking away. At once, Akiza spun her head around and saw him walk through the same door she had entered.

Akiza tried to call out his name to ask him where they were and to know where _he _was going, but to her surprise, she could not produce any words from her throat. The only sound that escaped her throat was the sound of her breaths. Having lost hope to communicate with the silverette, she looked back to her utensils, but instead of returning her focus onto the pointless objects, Akiza turned her attention to the seated guests at the table.

Somehow, when she wasn't looking, the other remaining guests were sitting in the seats, and chattered among themselves without noticing the psychic's presence. Not bothering to catch their attention, Akiza watched their actions closely. She saw the twins, who were sharing a single chair together, tightly embracing each other and tears streaming down their cheeks. A warmth of happiness sprouted inside her as she thought of a pleasing hope that the two were reunited and Rua had hopefully been found.

In the next five empty seats from the twins, she saw both Jack and Yusei stare at the empty plates before them. Neither of the two boys vocally interacted with each but instead would give each other glances before returning back to staring at their silver plates. _What could be wrong with Yusei? _she thought. Yusei was despairing, Akiza could tell, and every now and then he would mutter an inaudible conversation with Jack who would only respond with head motions. Akiza scowled. If Yusei was conversing with her, she wouldn't reply wordlessly. She would reply back with a proper response. Akiza bit her tongue. _What am I saying? I can't even talk. _

Next she turned her gaze over to the each ends of the table. On the far right end, Crow was tapping his fork against the nearest wine goblet, and on the other end, Sherry was re-arranging her utensil while muttering something under her breath. Each time Crow's fork would make the harsh, solid noise, Sherry's patience was weakened as Akiza could tell by her scowls and eyebrows' constant twitching. The French girl, when it seemed like her patience was gone, stopped her arranging and mouthed the word "stop", but Crow wouldn't and continued to clank his fork to the goblet. Red as a beet, Sherry stood up and inaudibly yelled at him. Forming a lour, Crow dropped his fork and slouched into his seat while Sherry returned back to her arrangements.

Both Ruka and Rua rose from the chair they were sharing. They looked over to Yusei, who wasn't acting like his normal self, and looked over to Jack, who also acted nothing like his usual self. The two remained standing. Akiza stood up as well, finally attracting everyone's attention, and started to walk away from the table when all of a sudden, her vision faded into darkness.

In a distance, she could hear a voice call her name. "Akiza. Akiza. You will need to eventually wake up. I need your help, Akiza."

Gasping loudly, the burgundy girl sat upward from her sleep and looked around her surroundings. Sitting on a lilac, queen-sized bed, Akiza recognized her location as a bedroom based on the bed, the large hairdresser, and the tall vanity mirror which reflected her. She wondered if Crow had anything to do with the choice of location, but as she looked around, she failed to find him in the bedroom. Akiza rubbed her along her lack of consciousness, she guessed, Akiza's mind must have created an alternative world of the same chateau while she slept.

"I fell asleep..." she groaned.

"Yes. You did fell asleep."

Startled by the same voice which had called her out earlier, Akiza demanded, "Who's there?!"

Out from the corner of her eye, Sherry stepped forward and sat next to Akiza. "It's very pleasing to know that you're fully awake now, Akiza."

* * *

"We need to get out of here as soon as possible," Yusei declared while climbing down the stairs hastily, Jack and the twins following behind him. "We don't know what we're really up against, and that frightens me."

"It doesn't help that somewhere there's a murder in the house," Jack added, recovering slightly from the earlier impact back in the small room.

After Rua had asked about Bruno, Yusei painfully had to explain that their beloved friend was dead. Rua at first didn't want to believe it and laughed, asking if they were all joking with him. None of the three laughed along with him which made Rua's hopes drop. Like the others, he mourned for their loss. While her brother cried, Ruka asked again why Yusei and Jack were shaking and terrified. Yusei and Jack debated among themselves whether or not to tell them the real reason after refusing to tell was not much of an option, and in agreement, they explained that they had found the corpse of the host in the same room only they had left out his decapitation. Both agreed that that part would be too much for the twins to handle, and instead of mentioning that part, Jack offered to rip part of his coat to cover Rua's cuts on his arms to help him avoid getting an infection.

They had, however, explained to them that there must have been someone who had brought the host's end, but they couldn't explain whether the person was an ally or not. Whatever side it was on, Yusei had urged them that it would be best if they all moved out of the room and make haste to the first floor. Now that they know that there must be someone they have no knowledge of whom can be dangerous, they for sure had to get out.

Hoping to decrease the anxiety between the adults, Rua suggested, "What if it's not really a murderer? I mean, it must be a good guy if he got rid of the host, right? He didn't hurt me."

Yusei differed, "I don't think that's the case, Rua. For one thing, killing isn't a comforting sign that we have an ally, and second, who knows if he's not after us."

"If anything, he might be after you," Jack included to Yusei's reasons against Rua's words.

Rua bit his bottom lip. "Why would he? He hasn't proven us that he is another bad guy."

"He hasn't proven us that he isn't," Ruka joined with the adult's side in their theory. "He could have killed Bruno instead of the host killing him."

"What?! Nuh-uh! I don't think so," her twin scowled. "He said that he only invited nine guests. If he really meant that then there wouldn't be an extra person. So that person might be on our side. One of us did it."

Standing in the hallway of the fourth floor, Yusei sighed almost sadly. "In worst case scenario, that person might have been on the host's side."

Jack crossed his arms. "And killed him afterwards?" he asked. "Why would he do that?"

"I don't know. We can only hope that it's someone who we don't know," the raven replied as he looked over to the twins. "What should be our top priority, however, should be protecting the twins. As much as I hate to say this, they are the most vulnerable out of all us."

Upset by Yusei's statement, Rua growled, "Why would we be the most vulnerable? Is it because I was kidnapped or something like that? Or is it because I could've have seen the person?!"

"I'm sorry, Rua. It could be that unless you didn't see the person for sure," Yusei reasoned. "It's because the person knows that you were with the host at the time when he killed him. He might recognize you from a distance and think you did see him or heard him."

"But Yusei! I was _blindfolded_, and I lost conscious!"

Jack cut in, "It was dark in there too, Rua. That person might not have seen the blindfold or known that you were unconscious. Because of that, he might be after you, targeting all of us as well."

Yusei shot a glare at Jack. "Don't say it like it's all his fault!"

"I didn't say it was."

Rua said nothing but instead ran off to the farthest room to the right and closed the door behind him, leaving the others shell-shocked.

Sympathizing with her brother, Ruka ran after, "Rua! It's not your fault that they're worried about us! Rua!"

She ran into the room without thinking of the other two and searched for her brother through the numerous box-like objects in the room. Many of the large objects stacked on each other and almost made a small maze within the room. Ruka noted to herself that the objects almost looked like wooden caskets (which wouldn't surprise her anymore considering from what she so far had seen or heard in the chateau). "I need to find Rua," she muttered to herself. "RUA! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

"Ruka? Are you the only one here with me, or did Jack and Yusei come too?" Rua called behind a large stack of caskets.

Ruka made her way over to her twin's location. "No. I came by myself." When she reached him, she saw that her brother was staring at an opening large enough to fit a casket in it. "What is it?"

Rua scratched his head, "I think... I don't know what they're called. The thing where people can drop laundry or trash in?"

"A chute?"

"Yeah! I think it's a chute."

Ruka frowned. "A chute for the caskets?"

"I guess... but Ruka?" her brother asked sadly.

"What is it?"

He reached for her hand and tightened his hand around it. "I think we should go down in it."

"I don't know if it's safe. Besides, we need to ask Yusei if we can go-"

"No!" Rua shrieked, causing his twin to jump. "No... I... I think we should just go. They probably think I'm just bringing bad luck to them since I broke the rules with Bruno and look what happened to him..."

Ruka sighed, "Dear brother, that's not how they feel. They're just scared that you might get really hurt." She pulled her brother's arm to her face. Her eyes watering at the sight of his bandaged arm. "See? If they really thought that way towards you, do you think Jack, of all people, would've bandaged your arms?"

Rua shook his head, "I guess not."

"Also, I don't think Yusei would have felt that way when we know he only means for the best for us, so it's okay, Rua. They don't believe you are trouble to them. They care about you," she assured her brother.

Sniffling, Rua wiped away his oncoming tears, "I don't want to cause them trouble-"

"And you don't," Yusei, who had found them with Jack, inserted. "We're just worried about both of your safety."

The younger boy whimpered, "I'm sorry I doubted you, Yusei."

"It's alright."

Jack glanced around the area and faltered, "You would think this place was like Goust (1) with its caskets and that chute."

Remembering about his own earlier suggestion, Rua asked Yusei, "I know this sounds crazy, but can Ruka and I go down that chute? The chute must lead to outside the house, right?"

Yusei's face paled. "How do you know it's safe?"

"I don't know, but I can try to take the chance," Rua tried to reason.

The raven looked over to Ruka who replied, "I'm pretty sure it's safe. We might land into a bush or a garbage can, but I can take the risk too."

He then turned to Jack. "Will you go with them? I want to make sure that there's no one else in the chateau before I go out myself..."

Before Jack could reply, Rua spoke, "No. He can stay. You need someone to be with you for the mean time, Yusei. I have my sister."

"Yeah. I have my brother too," Ruka agreed.

As much as he wished he could protest against them, Yusei yield in, "Just be careful. Make sure you stick to each other. Don't let anything separate you two. Nothing at all."

The twins nodded, and holding hands, they slipped themselves into the chute. Sliding down the chute at a fast speed, they were out of the chateau in no time. They pulled themselves out of a large garbage bin and smiled contemptuously when they saw that up ahead of them was the gates they had entered earlier in the night. Hand in hand, they walked out of the land and into the fields.

* * *

**Sloth:** "There Once was a Flower" is a nursery rhyme that involves with hand motions, and I have news for you. The Sloth is going to teach you the hand motions. Okay, so when it says _fleur _on the first line, have your palm up and fingers together. Next, spread your fingers open slowly until you read the word _beaucoup. _Your hand should be open. Are you so far with me? At the end of the third line, take your other hand and act like it's a butterfly and land it onto your open hand. To _disiparait, _hide your "butterfly" behind the "flower" that is your other hand. Lastly, join your fingers back together, face your palm down, and slowly hide your closed hand as you read the last sentence. And there you have it! The Sloth taught you something!

(1) - Goust is a hamlet in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, southwest of France. It was famous for its strange burial customs where the people would send coffins carrying the dead down into a specially-made chute along the mountain side to where the coffins would land into the Laruns cemetery. Fun fact of the chapter!

I'm satisfied with the ending to this chapter. Both twins are officially safe. I really didn't want to hurt Rua more than I had already, so I thought this was a fitting ending. As for Akiza's part, I hoped it was clear that she was dreaming a vision. I apologize again if it was confusing. Oh Sherry... what are you going to do with her? Where did Crow go too? I can't wait for the next chapters now since we're near the climax of the story.

Well, here I go with the last three chapters. This should be fun.

-Sloth


	7. Run

**Sloth: **I believe now that this is the climax. I think it is. We'll see. With any luck (which I do think is on my side), I should be finished with this fanfic before Hallow's Eve. That's my goal!

Let me present you the seventh chapter.

Title: House of 9

Chapter seven: Run

* * *

**Gentil coquelicot**

J'ai descendu dans mon jardin

J'ai descendu dans mon jardin

Pour y cueillir du romarin

J'ai descendu dans mon jardin

J'ai descendu dans mon jardin

Pour y cueillir du romarin

Gentil coqu'licot mesdames

Gentil coqu'licot nouveau

Gentil coqu'licot mesdames

Gentil coqu'licot nouveau

Pour y cueillir du romarin

Pour y cueillir du romarin

J' n'en avais pas cueilli trois brins

J'ai descendu dans mon jardin

J'ai descendu dans mon jardin

Pour y cueillir du romarin

J' n'en avais pas cueilli trois brins

J' n'en avais pas cueilli trois brins

Qu'un rossignol vint sur ma main

J'ai descendu dans mon jardin

J'ai descendu dans mon jardin

Pour y cueillir du romarin

Qu'un rossignol vint sur ma main

Qu'un rossignol vint sur ma main

Il me dit trois mots en latin

J'ai descendu dans mon jardin

J'ai descendu dans mon jardin

Pour y cueillir du romarin

Il me dit trois mots en latin

Il me dit trois mots en latin

Que les hommes ne valent rien

J'ai descendu dans mon jardin

J'ai descendu dans mon jardin

Pour y cueillir du romarin

Que les hommes ne valent rien

Que les hommes ne valent rien

Et les garçons encore bien moins

J'ai descendu dans mon jardin

J'ai descendu dans mon jardin

Pour y cueillir du romarin

Et les garçons encore bien moins

Et les garçons encore bien moins

Des dames il ne me dit rien

J'ai descendu dans mon jardin

J'ai descendu dans mon jardin

Pour y cueillir du romarin

Des dames il ne me dit rien

Des dames il ne me dit rien

Mais des d'moiselles beaucoup de bien

* * *

Resting her forehand on her hand, Akiza wavered, "How long have I been asleep?"

Sherry smiled as she gazed into the tall vanity mirror, somewhat pleased by their reflections, "Not that long. You've been asleep for about half an hour."

Akiza's eyes widen, and she dropped her hand on her thigh. "What?! Half an hour?!" she gasped.

The French girl nodded.

"Why didn't you wake me up?! Now we only have forty minutes or so to get out of here!" Akiza chided Sherry, utterly upset that time had managed to slip out of her hands. "You knew that I fell asleep, didn't you?! And you didn't even bother to wake me up..." Crestfallen, Akiza stared back at her reflection which visibly showed the despair in her eyes and waited for the other girl to apologize to her.

Sighing as she reclined on the large bed, Sherry explained, "Akiza, you were dead asleep. I _tried _to wake you up. After all, I am in desperate need of your help."

Akiza, confused, asked Sherry with curiosity, "My help? What do you mean?"

"I need your help on something that is very important. So important that I don't believe words could describe how much value it holds," Sherry smiled, edging closer to Akiza.

She frowned. "More important than leaving this place?" Akiza questioned. "What can be more important than that, Sherry? I don't know how you and Kiryu- Wait. Where _is _he?"

"Oh. Him," Sherry sighed in annoyance, "He left me behind an hour ago."

Akiza dropped her jaw. "What do you mean by 'left' you behind?"

Concealing her smirk and creating a false story, Sherry shrugged, "We entered a music room, and he made the suggestion that we should look for a clue. All the while I was looking for it, he was watching me very closely. Then out of nowhere, he claimed that he was sick of dragging me around and told me that I'm was no of use, and he basically left me in the room. Before he did, however, he gave me this." Sherry pulled out the same knife the silverette had pulled out of his pocket.

"He gave you that?" Akiza, unsure whether to believe her story or not, asked. The dark blood made her blood run cold. "Whose blood is that?"

"Bruno's. Kiryu said that he killed him," Sherry fibbed, watching the other girl squirm in her seat.

Akiza stood up. She shook her head, "No... He wouldn't do that."

"Akiza. He himself told me that he did it. You wouldn't have known how he could have done it since you were the last one to regain consciousness. Anyways, he explained to me that he did it when all of us were out cold, and he faked his awakening to appear innocent."

"... I don't believe you..." Akiza whispered.

Sherry scowled, "That's fine. I didn't believe it myself. After he explained how he did it, he jumped out of the window. I wouldn't recommend any of us to jump out of one though. He fell to his death."

"But why? Why would he do that to Bruno?!"

"I don't know, Akiza. What matters the most, we don't have a murderer in the house anymore," Sherry walked over to the vanity mirror, inspecting herself as she twirled. "No murderer whatsoever."

"What about the host? He _is _the reason why we're in this mess," Akiza asked as she glanced at the small clock on the wall. It read 11:23. She bit her bottom lip. If they remain in the room as they talked, time will definitely pass them quickly.

"Oh, we don't have to worry about him," Sherry smirked into the mirror. Akiza failed to hear her comment, Sherry could tell as Akiza's attention was fixed on the clock. "Do you... want to leave this room now, Aki?" She asked, almost too sweetly.

Akiza flinched at Sherry's sudden change of voice. Not to mention how she used her nickname. "Uh...Yes. We need to get going."

Sherry smiled as she opened the door, "Yes. Yes we shall. I'll explain my reasons why I need you, if you'd like."

_I also want to know where Crow is, _Akiza thought while nodding to her response. "Why do you need my help?"

"It's a very... _interesting _reason I have," Sherry started as she led them down the hallway and down the stairs. "First, do you have a map?"

Akiza pulled out her map, and handed it over to the blonde girl. As Sherry studied it, Akiza hesitantly asked, "Where's Crow? Do you know where he went?"

"I do not. I found you alone in the room. I would say he left you, but who knows. Oh, we're on the second floor."

"I hope he made it out without me," Akiza stared at the ground. "I am disappointed that he could have left me, but I'd rather have him alive and out than dying somewhere far away."

Subconsciously hissing, Sherry changed the subject, "I need your help, Aki. I need you to use your psychic abilities for something really important to me."

Akiza eyed at her, "My abilities? What could they do? Just tell me already!"

Sherry grabbed her hand, stopping Akiza from climbing down the stairs. Her aura grew fierce and became un-calm which frightened the psychic. Softening a smile when Sherry realized that she was starting to scare the girl, Sherry revealed, "I need them to help bring back my parents."

Dumbfounded, Akiza freed her hand. "'Bring them back'?! What- what are you talking about?!"

"Aki, after Kiryu left me, I went around the other rooms, and I stumbled upon a library. In there, I found books that explained how to bring back the dead! I read them, and much to my pleasure, most of the methods to bringing back the dead involve certain powers. Powers like yours, Aki! I really didn't believe until I stumbled upon a written document by the host himself on how to revive the dead! He had been able to successfully revive the dead. Aki, you'll never know how _happy _I was to read this!" Sherry, talking too fast, pulled out a wrinkled paper out of her pocket and showed it to her. "It says that powers like yours can actually bring the dead back! If we follow the same methods and diagrams as shown here, you can actually bring my parents back!"

Seizing the document, Akiza studied it, trying to understand it. According to the document, her powers, if used correctly, could be used in a similar way alchemists hone their own abilities in animating a corpse. Her abilities, with enough energy and stamina, more than likely can revive the dead. As much as Akiza was actually willing to lend Sherry her powers, the psychic shook her head. "I don't know, Sherry. I don't know if this is safe," she wavered.

Sherry sighed, "Why wouldn't it be?"

"Isn't there a catch to bringing back the dead? We shouldn't mess with the dead since that's disrespectful, and we could bring some sort of disaster upon us all. Besides, Sherry, we're trying to _escape _this chateau before midnight!" Akiza argued.

Sherry crossed her arms and scowled, "You're not joking, are you Aki?"

"Why would I? We _need _to get out."

"Well, I _need your _powers!"

Akiza climbed down the stairs, contending with Sherry, "This can wait! The others are probably out already, and we're the only ones still in the house!"

Watching her climb down the stairs, Sherry felt her heart shatter. _Is Akiza really going to do that? To me? _She tried to stay calm, but she struggled to fight back her anger. "That's not _fair! _You have no idea how much I suffered without my parents!"

"Sherry, they're dead! I don't think it's even safe to bring anyone back to this world if it already crossed over!"

"Just because of that reason you're not going to help me?!"

"Try to understand- we _don't _have time for this!" Akiza shrieked. _Why doesn't she get it?!_

Distraught that she was being denied of help, Sherry ran past her and blocked Akiza from climbing down the same staircase they saw earlier in the night with the host. Fear in her eyes, Sherry demanded, "Akiza! Don't step down the stairs!"

"Why not? The exit is just in front of us!"

"Don't It's not safe! Help me first and then you can go!"

"Sherry! Stop it! You're really scary! You might as well be the host if you're blocking my way!"

Without thinking, Sherry blurted out, "I am not! That bastard lied that he would help me bring back my parents in the first place even after I helped him!"

Akiza stepped back, horrified. "You... you helped him?" She squeaked.

Sherry hesitated to answer her.

Filled with so many mixed emotions, Akiza cried, "_**YOU HELPED HIM?!**_"

"I did," Sherry whispered before she screamed, "I did, Akiza!"

"Why? Why would you do that?!" Akiza demanded, walking backwards until she was stopped by the wall behind her. "You- you lied to me! You made this mess, didn't you?! You dragged us here, all of us, and you probably killed Bruno! Kiryu! Crow! What _did _you do to them?! What about the host?! Where is he?!"

"Akiza. Calm down," the French girl sibilated, pinning Akiza's wrists above her head. She smirked as the other girl writhed hopelessly in her grasp. It would've been cute if she hadn't rejected Sherry's request. _Was it too much to ask? _Sherry wondered.

"Get off of me!" Akiza screeched as she tried to kick her, wanting so desperately to escape from her.

Sherry rolled her eyes, "I won't. Not until you agree to help me bring back my parents."

"No! How about you tell me why you brought us here and what you did to the others!"

"You want to know?!" Sherry stared into Akiza's eyes, reading the fake bravery in them. She knew full well that Akiza was terrified of what she could do to her, and for that reason, Sherry tightened her grip on her wrists.

"I do," Akiza answered nonchalantly.

Squeezing the her wrists so hard to the point Akiza was whimpering in pain, Sherry explained coldly, "I brought you all here in case this would happen. In case _you _wouldn't help me! If you don't lend me your powers, I can do it on my own but not without the bodies of the others."

"So you lied to me about finding the document."

"Of course I did. Everyone has to lie, don't you agree? Even that host lied to me! He said he would help me bring them back if I helped him gather bodies for his own personal needs. He offered me that if I helped him set up the game, he could allow me to keep a couple of the bodies of the guests that could be used for my mother's and father's place! A body for a body! A life for life!" she paused in order to laugh. "He had other plans, however. Yes... that man had other plans than to help me! Help me?! That was the last thing he wanted to do! He wanted your bodies for his collection! He has a room, one with so many caskets. He had a disorder of some sort. What was it? Necrophilia? I'm not sure, but one thing that is for sure is that I don't need his help. I will bring them back on my own, with his help or yours!"

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a yellow-crowned parrot frantically flew past Sherry's head, screeching, "'I'll help you, Sherry. I'll help bring them back alive. You are correct. A game. I wish all of the remaining guests the best of luck!"

Akiza gasped as she recognized the same phrases were of the same phrases the host had spoken. The bird's voice was also his. "Oh no..." she whispered.

Sherry dropped Akiza's wrists and cursed at the bird, "How did you get out?! That can only mean..." She ran her hands through her hair, "Damn it! Someone found Crow!"

Finally free, Akiza did what she could only think of. She ran past her and headed towards the west wing instead of climbing down the stairs, having a horrible feeling that the main exit was not safe. Not when she spotted a huge alchemy-design on the marble floor, waiting for an unlucky victim to step on.

* * *

**Sloth: **"Nice Poppy" is a children's song which is quite different from the previous choices I used in the earlier chapters. It tells of a tale of a woman, I'm assuming, who is picking flowers and spices, and in the middle, a nightingale tells her that men are worthless. The main character in the last verses starts to wonder why the bird said nothing about women. I'm not to sure what it means, but I've incorporated this song into the chapter how Sherry was distraught from the host's lie and wondering why Akiza wouldn't oblige to help her.

Yellow-crowned parrots are found in the Amazon forests, and much like the other parrots, it can mimic human speech, however, these are highly known for being able to mimic human speech almost flawlessly. Fun fact!

And now we know Sherry's motive. What about the others? I can't wait to reveal it all~

Here we go. Two more chapters.

Oh, and **there will be blood, gore, and ,once again, psychological characters.**

For now, I bid farewell.

-Sloth


	8. Ex

**Sloth: Warning- The following chapter includes major character deaths. I will not be insulted if you choose not to read, but I do not want to receive flames for warning you ahead of time if you disregard the warning and complain later. I'm not sure if the chapter could trigger emotions of any sort, but I highly recommend you to cautiously think this over.**

What an intro, eh? No, but seriously- it does include major character deaths. Can you guess whose (and yes, I'm sure all of you know at least one of them...). Goodness! There was a reason why I made this M rated, and there's also a reason why I had to re-outline this chapter.

With a heavy heart, I present you chapter eight. Forgive me if I cause you pain. Oh, and I should make one last warning. _**BRACE YOURSELVES, CROW**_ **_FANS!_**

Title: House of 9

Chapter eight: Ex

* * *

**Il court le furet**

Il court il court le furet

Le furet du bois, mesdames

Il court il court le furet

Le furet du bois joli

Il est passé par ici

Le furet du bois, mesdames

Il est passé par ici

Le furet du bois joli

Il court il court le furet

Le furet du bois, mesdames

Il court il court le furet

Le furet du bois joli

Il repassera par là

Le furet du bois, mesdames

Devinez s'il est ici

le furet du bois joli

Il court il court le furet

Le furet du bois, mesdames

Il court il court le furet

Le furet du bois joli

Le furet est bien caché

Le furet du bois, mesdames

Pourras-tu le retrouver?

Le furet du bois joli

* * *

Throughout the time Akiza had interacted with Sherry, floors above Jack and Yusei stood in the same room filled with caskets, unsure whether the twins had escaped the chateau safely. Even though horrifying thoughts plagued his mind, Yusei told himself that he needed and _to _believe that nothing terrible happened to them. Removing his mind from worrying, he walked past the wall of caskets and stood by the door way. Yusei was ready to exit the room until he noticed that Jack had not followed him to the door.

Only moving five feet away from his spot, Jack brought his gaze toward the chute as if he was trying to hint Yusei that it would be better for them to follow the twins' actions. Doubt laced in his words, Jack asked the raven, "Are you sure you want to look for anyone else? Earlier you asked the others to take care of themselves, so why can't we worry about ourselves?"

Yusei frowned. He had at least hoped that Jack was worried for anyone as much as he was, but maybe that was too much to expect from him. "Jack, you know that I'm just worried that there might be one of us in trouble without any reach of help nearby. I don't want anyone to be forgotten, or..." Yusei shivered, "get killed by the murderer."

Walking towards his friend, Jack sighed, "Yes you may be worried about the others, but I don't believe that it's even safe for us to search the whole house, and I hope you don't intend to look through every room again."

"I wish I could," Yusei laughed, pain visible in his laughter. "You have no clue how I wish I could that, but time. It's not our friend."

"Neither is Sherry."

Yusei blinked, wondering if he heard that correctly. "Sherry?" he asked Jack.

The taller male exited the room and leaned against the wall of the hallway. He appended, "Doesn't it seem strange how earlier we saw that doll? How it look like Sherry? Also, didn't you notice that Sherry hardly spoke when we were all together at the top floor?"

Thinking it over, Yusei agreed half of what Jack had asked. The doll did awfully resembled Sherry, however he didn't found anything too suscpicous that she didn't talked as much as the others. Wondering what could be on his friend's mind, Yusei asked, "You don't really think Sherry's against us, do you Jack?"

Jack half-smiled, chuckling, "It's just a thought, right? I could be wrong, but it's only a thought. After all, it might be a coicindence that she's the only one French out of us in this French-like atmosphere."

"Now that you put it that way..." Yusei talked to himself. _Sherry wouldn't actually be tied into all of this, would she? _Trying to put all of his knowledge on the French duelist together, Yusei attempted to find a solid explanation as to why she would be involved with the game they were trying to escape, but after failing to theorize it, Yusei dismissed the whole thing. "Let's move on and continue downward, Jack."

"Sure, but I must ask you one last question," the Aussie stated.

"Yes?"

"Suppose we run into a room we aren't supposed to enter or we run into a false exit? The host did mention that earlier in the night," Jack recalled.

Yusei smiled in a form of assurance, "Well then, we better be careful, and you have to remember that we did just see a room filled with caskets. If we're safe for now for entering that room which for sure must've been something we shouldn't have intruded, then we should be alright if we stumble upon the other rooms."

Jack smirked, "Playing as the risk-taker, are you now?"

His friend made a face of play-mockery. "It's not like you're one."

"Hey, I can be one too."

As much as they would love to joke around with each other, the two stopped playing around and walked to the end of the hall, making sure to open all of the doors in case they found anyone or any form of an exit. They didn't find anything, however, when they were about to climb down the stairs to the second floor, the two adults had discovered that the stairs were dismantled and were most likely not safe to descend on. This troubled them since it was a height so grand from where they stood that there was no way they were going to jump off.

"What now?" Yusei asked without really hoping for an answer or so Jack thought. He could tell that Yusei was finally starting to lose hope slowly.

Thinking for a solution, Jack cerebrated for a moment before he returned to the hallway. Yusei followed Jack and hoped that he had a solution, and when he saw Jack re-enter one of the near-empty rooms, he began to wonder what Jack was up to. He watched Jack take a hold of the tall lamp and stand close to the large window. _What could he want with the- _Yusei realized then what the "solution" was. "Jack, you're not joking, are you?"

With a powerful force, Jack swung the lamp to the mirror and shattered the glass.

_**CRAAASH!**_

Yusei gaped as Jack cleared the remaining window glass with the broken lamp before he risked his life by shifting his whole body on the window ledge. Jack took one look at the ground, recognizing how high the window was, and instead of panicking, he looked over to Yusei and asked, "You coming, Yusei?"

"Uh... yeah," Yusei waffled and cautiously climbed out the window and stood on the ledge along with Jack. He looked down. "Jack, this is dangerous."

"Hmph! So much for the risk-taker you were," Jack joked as he started to shimmy to the edge of the window ledge. Not putting too much thought into it, Jack leaped to the next ledge and repeated until he came across the outer corner of the chateau.

Without replying back to him, Yusei followed Jack's same actions as he would peered into the windows of the other rooms to double check that he didn't missed anything. Reaching the corner, Yusei warned, "You better not fall, Jack."

"You think I plan to? I swear that you don't trust me sometimes," the blonde retorted as he dropped himself to hang onto the ledge, preparing himself to descend onto the window below them.

"It's not that I don't trust you. I don't want you to accidentally fall," Yusei revealed as he dropped to the same window ledge Jack stood on.

"But I didn't, didn't I, Yusei?" he laughed while Yusei frowned at him. He would have continued to laugh if he hadn't looked through the window. In the room, to his horror, was their redhead friend locked in a large bird cage surrounded by smaller cages. Jack almost stepped back ( remembering that that would be a terrible idea) and snarled, "It's a good thing we did what you wanted Yusei."

Yusei turned around and saw his friend for himself. He caught his breath, not believing what he was seeing. Conflicted on how to break open the window to aid Crow, he tried what Jack had done to the other window. Instead of striking the window with a lamp, Yusei without thinking about the consequences punched through the glass and grazed his arm as the glass broke around it. Although Yusei hissed in pain, he began to clear off the excessive glass.

From the cage, Crow looked up from the floor to see his two friends climbing into the window. Overfilled with happiness and hope, the smallest male tried to raise himself but fell back onto the cage's surface, causing Yusei and Jack to wonder what was wrong with his legs. He brushed it off and greeted them from behind the bars, "Hey! I was starting to think I would be forgotten!"

Rushing over to their caged friend, Yusei painfully smiled, "Crow! It's so wonderful to see you, yet-"

"Ironic to see me in a cage? Yeah, I think so too," Crow laughed. He noticed Jack by chance stepping on the small metal he had been struggling to reach ever since he was caged. "Hey Jack? Care to get that key under your shoe to free me?"

Jack lifted his foot, and after he grabbed the key, he hurried to the cage and unlocked it. "How did you get stupid enough to get caged, Crow?" he inquired.

Crow scowled, "I wasn't _that _ stupid! Sherry locked me up!"

Jack shot Yusei an I-told-you-that-she-was-bad look. Yusei handed his hand to Crow to help him out of the bird cage. He asked, "What do you mean? Crow, is she against us?"

Taking his hand, Crow tried again to stand but once more fell. Disappointed he couldn't stand, he answered, "She is. I was carrying Akiza after she had collapsed on me when suddenly Sherry stopped me in the hallway. She demanded me to hand her over, but when I insisted that Akiza was safe in my hands, Sherry threw a fit and attacked me! She pulled out a random knife and stabbed my legs! I fell in pain, dropping Akiza, but when I thought she was going to run off with her, Sherry carried _me _here and closed me inside this cage! That bitch! You won't believe what she said to me as she locked me up. She intended to leave me here crippled until midnight."

"I want Akiza to myself."

Alarmed by Sherry's voice, the boys faced the direction where it was coming from and saw the yellow-crowned parrot perched on the door's handle. It cawed, "Let me explain the rest of the tournament."

Jack uttered in amazement, "That's the host's voice! The first one was Sherry's too!"

Crow continued, "Sherry... Sherry killed the host! He's been dead after we were knocked out!" He hung his head, recalling his memory with the French girl. "Sherry was laughing when she revealed it to me. I asked her how she managed to kill him and yet be able to pull a fake show that he was telling us the rest of the game's rules. She said that she never was unconscious. She said that she was the one who struck us in the dark, and she helped the host by killing Bruno for him as he ran off with Rua. She made sure we would wake up after two hours by placing a cloth gassed with diethyl ether over our mouths, and then she knocked herself unconscious after she placed the knife she used against Bruno's into Kiryu's pocket. Afterwards, for some reason she wouldn't say, she killed the host after he kidnapped Rua."

"The bird... How?" Yusei inquired, more than curious to find out.

"She said she found it in chateau when she came here. I guess she manipulated it to mimic the host and to give us the rules in his place. That way, we wouldn't know that the host was really dead. There," Crow pointed to a pipe that erected from the floor and through the ceiling, "That's how we didn't see the bird at all. The voice came from here, and we wondered how he was able to communicate with us..."

Sighing, Yusei concluded, "Sherry, like you said Jack, is against us. She's the one who decapitated him."

"Shit. I didn't think she would kill him like that!" Crow screeched, picturing in his head how she could've done it. Trying for the third time, he grabbed a hold of the metal bird cage and pulled himself upwards, whimpering in pain. The pain in both of his legs, having been stabbed multiple of times by Sherry, was extremely unbearable that Crow screamed as he fell for the third time. "I can't get up," he nearly cried.

It horribly pained the both of them to see Crow struggle to stand, and to end help his friend, Jack, without teasing Crow for being weak (because it wasn't his fault after all), picked him up into his arms into a bridal position and sheepishly stated, "This is only going to happen once, Crow."

Embarrassed, Crow agreed, "It better be."

Yusei smiled for only a moment to enjoy the small humor, but alas, he turned his attention to the door. He shooed the parrot to move aside and opened the door. The bird, having been moved from its spot, burst out of the room, flying and screeching many of the host's previous words. Exiting out of the room, Yusei and Jack, carrying Crow, walked towards the end of the hall, ready to dash should they see Sherry.

Around the corner, they could hear footsteps running towards them. Anticipating running into Sherry, the boys prepared to run like mad until they saw a friendly figure turn the corner. It was none other than their burgundy friend: Akiza.

Akiza, having spotted the three, ran towards them, warning them, "Don't go that way! Sherry! She's-"

"A murderer? We know," Jack replied nonchalantly.

The girl stopped. "You know everything then?"

"Oh yeah," Crow spoke from Jack's arms, "She told me. Glad to see you're okay, Aki."

She nodded, "Same here. I thought she might have killed you to use you as a sacrifice."

"Sacrifice?" all three males asked in unison.

"I... I thought you knew... Didn't she tell you, Crow?" Akiza asked, afraid that Sherry had only chosen to tell her.

"No she didn't," Crow answered.

Akiza brought her hand to her mouth before she gasped, "She brought us all here so she can use my powers... I didn't want to help her, so she's going to use our bodies to bring back her parents!"

Yusei froze in his spot. Crow almost fell out of Jack's arms when the blonde yelled, "She "_**WHAT?!**_"

As Akiza opened her mouth to explain more, the disturbed voice of the murderer echoed through the west wing, "Akiiiiiza! Come out soon! I _need _your help! It doesn't have to end this way. No! NO! It doesn't! It _doesn't! __**AKIIIIIIIZA!**_"

Thinking fast, Yusei ran back towards the end of the hallway. "THIS WAY!" he screamed, fear vibrating in his scared voice.

Following his desperate order, the others ran him through the last room. Without noticing that the room was a cellar, they climbed down the steps and ran towards the grand door at the end, forgetting to block the door in case Sherry would enter. Running past the barrels of wine and bundles of fire logs, they approached the door. They could only hope that the door was an exit.

Paranoid whether the door did lead to outside, Crow asked Akiza, "Does the map say it leads outside?"

Her face paled. Akiza had forgotten that she had handed it over to Sherry. She reluctantly answered, "I don't have the map..."

"Oh great. We're unsure if it's just a storage room or an exit because we don't have a map," Jack snorted.

Yusei chided, "Jack, it's not Akiza's fault, right, Aki?"

Akiza bit her lip, facing away from Yusei in shame, "I... I gave it to Sherry."

"We're doomed," Crow sighed hopelessly.

"But it should lead to outside," Akiza spoke up, "From what I remember, it should lead to the garden."

Jack eyed at her. "Are you sure?"

Getting rid of her hesitation, she affirmed, "I'm positive."

"I trust you," Yusei told her as he opened the door.

It was just as Akiza had said. On the other side of the opened door was a garden, rich with daffodils, roses, daisies, and other flowers of beauty, that appeared in front of them. Across the garden was a gate. Another exit, they assumed. All four of them smiled contemptuously. Could this really be it? Is the end finally near?

Jack and Crow stared at each other and laughed out of happiness. Together, they crossed the door, overjoyed that the nightmares would finally end. It was true. The nightmare had ended for those two as the second Jack had stepped outside the door, sharp, flesh-tearing stakes impaled the two without warning. Jack, having been the one standing vertically, was instantly killed when the stake beneath the grass stabbed through his entire body, blood staining his white, long coat. Crow, on the other hand, had unfortunately fallen to the ground and had a thick stake pierce through his chest, horror fixed on his face as the crimson blood soaked through his shirt and vest. Unlike Jack, however, Crow was still alive.

Traumatized by what he had seen, Yusei blindly ran to his two best friends, screaming like he had never before, _**"NOOOOOOO! JACK! CROW! THIS CAN'T! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING! NOT THEM! PLEASE! ANYTHING BUT THEM!" **_Uncontrollably, he cried his heart out. His world had come to an end.

Akiza, in state of shock, stumbled towards the ground and cried into the palms of her hands.

Trying to hang on, Crow coughed violently. Each time he would inhale, an indescribable pain shot through his body. He could unfortunately hear his buddy screaming and crying, which hurt him more than anyone can imagine. Numbness starting to spread inside him, Crow tried to urge his raven friend, almost cracking a smile which caused blood to run down his lips. "Yusei... Yusei- _**DON'T **_give up. Keep going! Sh-Sherry's insane. You _have _to leave- with Aki! Don't- don't let Sherry... get..." At last, without finishing his order, Crow drew his last breath and stopped breathing altogether. Eyes half-way closed, Crow's nightmare had ended.

Crying and heavily grieving for his enormous loss, Yusei wailed. Akiza cried even louder as she heard his shrilling cry. She raised her head, hot tears rushing down her face, to see Yusei mourn until her own heart froze. Behind Yusei stood the murderer. Sherry had entered without being noticed with the tragedy disguising her steps. Akiza gasped as she saw Sherry pull out the same knife out of her pocket and raised it in the air. Fearing for Yusei's end, Akiza did what she had to do: She threw herself against Yusei, pushing them aside and barely missing from being stabbed. Sherry's knife flew out of her hands and landed far from her.

Sherry snarled as she realized what Akiza had done and picked up her knife. Forcing Yusei upwards, Akiza screamed him to run, and with great speed, they ran through the cellar and up the steps, slamming shut the door behind them. Knowing that Sherry was beyond outraged, they both pressed their bodies against the door, preventing her from exiting the cellar temporarily.

_**"LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT! AKIIIZA! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME?! WHY WON'T YOU HELP ME?! LET ME OUT!" **_cried the disturbed girl from the other side, pounding the door strongly.

No matter how much she cried, neither Yusei nor Akiza opened the door. Instead, they quietly mourned for the tragedy that shook their core.

After some time, Sherry called through the door, "Akiza. You can't keep me there forever. There's only nine minutes to midnight. You will regret staying here!" Then, as if a miracle, there was only silence.

Too afraid to move in case Sherry would escape and kill the both, Akiza looked over at Yusei, who had his head buried in his arms. "Yusei... What are we going to do? Nine minutes..." She sadly asked. _Why is it always the number nine anyways...?_

Yusei, still obviously shocked but very slowly trying to regain his previous thoughts, stood up, wobbling slightly, answered, "I need to get _you _out."

Rising up to her feet as well, Akiza expressed a weak smile. _The calmness in his eyes, _she noted, _aren't there. Yusei... you're not Yusei anymore... _"I need to get you out as well..."

* * *

**Sloth: **"The Ferret Runs"... what can I say about this song? Should I say it is about the ferret who passes through the garden in the song, or should I say that the ferrets, in this chapter, are the four who were trying to escape? I'm not sure what to say. As for the chapter's title, "ex" is to mean "go out" in Latin. Latin. Not French. I feel as though I broke the specialty of this story, but I must remember that French is based on Latin.

What have I done? Sherry became darker than I had planned from the start, Jack's and Crow's death... Again, I apologize. When the best outline of this chapter came across my mind, I locked myself in my room and cried for what I was going to do to them, and worse, to Yusei. I tore his best friends from him and left him so saddened... Alas... I prefer this outline more than my original. Sherry, in the original, was going to hurt Crow more than you all can imagine, and Jack was to have a much crueler fate. I wish I could say "nonetheless", but I cannot. Instead, I will say "I'm sorry once more."

This is it. One more chapter. One last one. Amazing. If you can hang on for one last chapter, that would be great, but if you can't, then I'd like to give my thanks now. Thank you for reading this disturbing story.

-Sloth


	9. 1

**Sloth:** This is it. The final chapter. The story has come to it's finale. It's amazing how I committed myself to this fanfic when back in chapter one I was kinda wishy-washy whether this story was actually worth working with, but now I see for myself that it was worth those stressing nights. I am really proud of my work. Really am!

I should warn, but then again, it's the same stuff. Just deaths really and psychotic Sherry. The usual.

Hopefully I made to the end of October exactly, but if I didn't, then it's fine. As long as I had completed this, then it's all good in the end.

Now then. I give you the last chapter. I hope I don't disappoint you with the ending, but I have a feeling that I won't.

Title: House of 9

Chapter nine: 1

* * *

**Passe, passe, passera**

Chanson enfantine

Passe, passe, passera

La dernière, la dernière

Passe, passe, passera,

La dernière restera.

Qu'est-ce qu'elle a donc fait

La petite hirondelle ?

Elle nous a volé

Trois petits grains de blé.

Nous la rattraperons

La petite hirondelle,

Et nous lui donnerons

Trois petits coups de bâton

* * *

Nine minutes. That was all they had time left remaining before midnight would over shadow the night, and the "unmentioned" disaster would finally take place. Akiza, frightened at the thought of the threatening, unknown future, shifted her gaze to the door behind her. Sherry had not said anything after she announced that time was running out for Akiza and Yusei. Her silence disturbed them both (not as much as her insanity) since who knew what she was doing at the very moment. Their guess was that she was impatiently waiting for the appropriate time to step out and most likely attack Yusei for keeping Akiza away from her or Akiza for not helping her.

Having lost his two best friends, the raven was extremely devastated, and he knew he had to protect his last remaining friend. Wanting to get moving as time was challenging, Yusei spoke in a near whisper, "We should go now, but we need to at least delay Sherry from escaping..." He glanced around the hallway with his eyes, but unfortunately, he did not spot any helpful object that could block the door in their place. "This can't be good."

Aware of Yusei's intention, Akiza bit her nail as she thought of a solution, head facing towards the floor. Although she had planned to think, her very own high heeled pumps caught her attention. Capturing an idea she kicked off her pumps and fell to the floor to peer into the small opening underneath the door. Akiza shoved the heels into the small hole with haste, hoping that the friction between the door, the heels, and the floor would stall time for them whenever Sherry decides to burst through the door.

"That's very clever, Aki," Yusei complimented her which made Akiza smile with great pride at her own success.

"It's a small sacrifice I have to make. One problem down, and another one to go," Akiza declared.

Without wasting time, the two remaining guests hurried towards the corner of the hallway and entered the main, marbled room of the chateau. On the reflecting floor were highly detailed ringlets with magical formulas scribed in them, and it stretched across from the bottom of the stairs to the edge of the main entrance.

"What is that?" Yusei asked his last friend.

Akiza, not even sure of what it was herself, answered, "I don't know, but I have a feeling that this is part of Sherry's plan. She showed me a document on how to use my powers to revive the dead. These rings... they're similar to the ones she showed me."

"They almost look like alchemy."

"That and also something demonic!" She shivered at the memory of Sherry pinning her to wall and revealing all of her true intentions to her. "I don't think I can do it, Yusei. It's not even safe to bring back the dead."

Yusei agreed. From what he observed of Akiza's quiver, Sherry had installed a deep fear in her if not all of them. He turned his observation to the ringlet and noticed that the door was only feet away from them, but he recalled some of the host's clues (or the bird's clues, he should say). "Aki, there's only one correct exit, right?"

Akiza twinge at the word "only". "Is there only one?"

"I don't know what to believe anymore. The twins had escaped down the chute in one room, or so I hope. Maybe that was the true exit. If it was, I'm not sure if we can climb back up. Jack-" Yusei's heart sank before he continued, "Jack and I had to get to this floor by climbing down window ledges. As for time, we only have seven or six minutes."

"That's not comforting at all, Yusei," Akiza began to fret. "We can't step down the stairs. At least, I don't think we should. The ringlets are probably dangerous to even consider walking on."

Dread filling the atmosphere, the raven disquieted when he realized the horrible scenario they were facing. "If we can't go up and can't go through the main doors... We're stuck."

"...'Stuck'," Aki repeated softly to herself. Tears pooling at the rim of her eyes, Akiza tried to comprehend the problem. She didn't want to believe that they were stuck. Yes, they could not climb up the floors to the escape Yusei had mentioned, and yes, the front doors were far from reach with the ominous ringlets, but did she really wanted to believe that they were stuck? "No..."

Yusei cocked his head to his shoulder. "No?"

"I said 'no', Yusei," Akiza retorted, making contact with his cool, cobalt eyes. With a scowl sprouting on her lips, Akiza clenched her fist. "I refuse to believe that! We are so close from the exit and so close to midnight! There _has _to be an exit other than these two. He said that there were other possible exits even if some of them aren't so great. There must be another one around then!"

"The closet one here was the door to the garden..." he reminded her melancholy.

"But there has to be another way out! Yusei, we _can't _be stuck. We just can't!" She did understand that Yusei was still grieving over his loss, but she wanted him to be the old Yusei who earlier in the night was so determined to get everyone out safely. Perhaps she was selfish for wishing too much of him, however, Akiza needed him to have hope that there should be an exit without a trap nearby.

"I know we can't! I- I am not sure how and where we can escape," Yusei explained his sudden loss of hope with guilt.

Feeling stressed, Akiza rumbled, "If only I hadn't handed the map to her then we could have been able to look for a possible escape! Time's running out, we're trapped, and Sherry wants to use our bodies and my powers for her own selfish reasons!"

"No, don't start to lose hope!" the raven calmed her. Judging on her scowl, Yusei guessed that she was upset that suddenly he was telling her not to be hopeless when he was only moments ago. "Akiza... You're stronger than I am right now. I'm still overwhelmed that Crow and Jack... died... before me." He started to feel emotionally sick as he vividly remembered their corpses in gratifying details.

Trying to push those thoughts away, Yusei continued, "You are still able to think thoroughly right now... I kind of can't right now... We need a plan of some sort."

She agreed. Akiza was starting to believe that maybe Yusei was right that she was the stronger one between them now. It would explain the courage she could feel inside of her when she announced to him, "I'm going to help Sherry."

Shocked, Yusei worried, "Don't do it, Akiza! She has gone insane. We both know that! Nothing but pain will come from helping her."

Forming a hurt yet comforting smile, she assured him, "It's okay, Yusei. I'm going to wheedle information out of her when I do. You hide somewhere near so you can hear her reveal it to me. Maybe if I ask for forgiveness, she'll have mercy on me and leave me be, but if something bad happens to me, then take the information and go on without me. Please. Yusei. We only have five minutes to make this right. She's are only chance to finding out the real exit!"

"I trust you, Aki," Yusei replied with his own painful smile.

_Last time you did, Jack and Crow died, _she sadly thought. "I'm... I'm happy that you do. I'm happy that you do trust me after what happened. More than you can know," Aki admitted which made her heart flutter. Yusei had the option to be angry and upset with her for leading the others to their death, but instead he didn't blame her at all. It made her feel better about herself.

"Of course I trust you. Why wouldn't I?"

Akiza looked deeply into his orbs and was breathless as she noticed that some of Yusei's original emotions of courage and spirit had returned. Now would have been a great moment to tell him how she felt towards him, but it was her turn to save them both and not the other way around. She simpered almost childishly and instructed him, "Go hide. I'm going to face Sherry myself."

Yusei did as he was told and hid around the corner of the east wing while Akiza bravely walked down the steps and waited for Sherry to arrive. She only had four minutes before the disaster so she had to make everything count. Although fear was trying to control her senses, Akiza patiently waited for the psychotic female to arrive. Ready for almost anything, she anticipated for Sherry to call out her name, and because of that, Akiza's breath hitched when she saw the French girl climb down the stairs towards her with the same knife in her hand.

"Oh Akiza. How could you? How could you leave me like that?" Sherry questioned innocently despite her grim expression. "Have you no heart? Surely you didn't mean anything when you said you weren't going to help me. No. My Akiza wouldn't do that."

_You can do this, Akiza. Have faith. _"You're right. I didn't have a heart. I was unfair, thinking about myself and not your needs, Sherry," Akiza fibbed as convincible as she could. She shut her eyes close for second, drawing all the strength she could muster. "I want to apologize, and... I'm willing to _help _you if it's not too late."

Upon hearing these sweet words, Sherry's dark atmosphere depleted instantly. Jubilantly she smiled, "Oh, Aki! It's not too late! I'm so glad you changed your mind! I was almost afraid I would have to force you to do something you didn't want to do. I'm also glad that you've changed your mind before midnight. Now come! We need to move into the center of the summoning circle!"

Sherry grabbed Akiza's hand as gentle as she could and led her into the circle, not noticing the other girl grimaced when she step onto the marble floor. Akiza had been expecting for something to happen if she came in contact with the magical ringlets that she was surprised when nothing happened. Sticking to her plan, Akiza began, "What does exactly happen when it's midnight by the way?"

"Nothing really. The host had set up some sort of trap when the clocks in the house strike twelve," Sherry explained as she grabbed Akiza's other hand.

Akiza scrunched her nose. "Care telling me more about the trap?"

"It's only a trap that's supposed to destroy the real exit and anyone who's still in the chateau, but don't worry. We won't notice it until the flames reach to this floor."

Eyes almost popping out of her eye socket, Akiza shrieked, "You mean that this place is going to be set to blaze?!"

"Mhm! That is what I mean!" Sherry laughed and ignored the discomfort that Akiza was obviously showing. She stopped laughing when she pulled the other girl's arms perpendicular to her sides. "I need to you to lie down now on the ground. When I chant the spell, the summoning circle is going to observe some of your powers to morph a couple of sacrifices into my parents' bodies."

_Those sacrifices are my friends, _Akiza muttered in her head as she listened to Sherry's instruction. Akiza knitted her eyebrows when Sherry said that she would be chanting. _I should be the one chanting, right? _She thought before remembering that now she only needed to find out where the real exit was. Only a couple minutes left, Yusei could still have a chance if she could coax Sherry to tell her. "After we're done, Sherry, could we exit out the real exit?"

"Oh dear, we can't. The exit would be in flames by the time we're finished."

"Why is that?"

Sherry sneered as she bent down to next to Akiza, "The exit was in the same room you found Bruno! The very first room we awoke in had the real, correct, and completely safe exit. If one of you would have felt the floor, you would have found a trap door that had a stairway that led to an opening designed as the safest exit, but now it's gone. The fire will start in that same hallway. Those candles you saw? The host made it that when it's midnight, the candle holders would fall, and the fire would spread throughout the chateau."

Horrified, Akiza asked her, "Then how are we going to escape after the summoning?!"

"You should rephrase that, Akiza. You mean to say 'how am I going to escape'." Suddenly Sherry pulled her knife out and edge it so close to Akiza's neck that it cut the first layer of her neck. "I am aware that you're lying to me, you selfish bitch. I know that you're only here to ask me these questions. You thought that you could lie to me and trick me. You really don't mean to help me. You never did."

_**Ba-bong**_

_**Ba-bong**_

Akiza's heart stopped as the clocks in unison echoed their sound through the building. It was now midnight. She looked up to the sinister grin of Sherry's. Taking a gulp of air, Akiza asked her while trying to hide her fear, "Are you going to kill me now?"

"Yes I will, Aki," Sherry pressed herself closer to Aki's face. "Your body will still have your powers, and with that I can still bring them-" She stopped and stood up, removing the knife from Akiza's neck. As if there was something wrong, she hesitantly touched her own face and caressed her cheek. When Sherry pulled her hand away from her cheek, pieces of porcelain crashed to the floor and caused the summoning circle to glow dimly. Wondering where the porcelain came from, she retouched the same spot only to feel nothing. Her fingers were touching something hollow and nothing solid. It almost felt as if she was touching the insides of her skull. Sherry traced her fingers to the edges of her face until she came across a jagged end. Realizing what was happening, she dropped her hand and widened her eyes. Her face was falling apart like broken porcelain.

"What's _happening_?!" she cried in fear.

"What's happening is that you're fading away," spoke Yusei who stood on the steps of the stairs. "You were in cahoots with the host, and because of that, he must have made a trap against you as well when the clocks struck twelve. Upstairs, Jack had found a doll that resembled you and had stepped onto it. That doll, Sherry, must have been enchanted and is probably linked to your soul."

Sherry didn't seem to comprehend him. "What do you mean by 'linked'?"

Yusei explained with a husky voice, "Sherry, that doll is your voodoo doll. He must have guessed that you were equally insane and made one specifically for you. In other words, whatever happens to that doll will happen to you when it's midnight, and since Jack had stepped half of its face into pieces, then your face will fall apart.

"And Sherry- you had mentioned that fire would spread through the house. If I recall this correctly, you will go up in flames before we do."

"I will not burn! You're lying to me! There's no doll?!" Sherry maniacally laughed as she struck Akiza with her boot on the floor, savoring the teenager's cries of pain. "Both of you need to stop distracting me. I will not go up in flames. Mark my words."

With her foot, she drove into Akiza's ribs hard and rammed her body completely against the floor so she couldn't escape and started to chant, not caring that she felt something pop loudly inside of her. She chanted loudly:

_La mort, la mort douce! Retour mes parents bien-aimés de nouveau à moi et prendre le corps de cette jeune fille et l'un des corps d'autres dans ce château!* La mort, la mort douce! Retour mes parents bien-aimés de nouveau à moi et prendre le corps de cette jeune fille et l'un des corps d'autres dans ce château!La mort, la mort douce! Retour mes parents bien-aimés de nouveau à moi et prendre le corps de cette jeune fille et l'un des corps d'autres dans ce château!_

Then suddenly, Sherry felt something extremely hot burning inside the hollow side of her face. Fearing the worst, she stuck two fingers into her broken face and touched the scorching fire that grew in the inside of her face. Shrieking in pain, she pulled them out and examined the burns on her fingers, only to find out that the fire was spreading on her body.

"No! NO! **THIS CAN'T HAPPEN! IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO END LIKE THIS! I ONLY WANT THEM BACK!**" Sherry screamed an awful howl as her whole body went up in flames shortly after the fire started to peel away more of her face. She shot a menacing glare at Akiza, who was curled up in a ball in pain, and screamed at her when she noticed that Akiza was not disappearing after her chants, "**_WHY AREN'T YOU GONE?!_**"

Choking from the pain, Akiza replied back, eyes on Yusei who was watching all of this happen, "I'm not gone because... because the document said I needed to be the one chanting, remember? It wouldn't shock me if you didn't read that part since you were excited like a child to read over that small part. If you were to be chanting... than you should have killed me. But you didn't because... because I don't think you really wanted to kill me, Sherry. All this time you wanted me to help you that you never had the intention to kill me. Don't you see? You only used threats against me, and not once did you fulfill them." She smiled even the fractured ribs were tearing her internal organs. "I wish you could've found another way to bring your parents alive without having to kill so many. As you said- a life for a life, but Sherry... it's time for you to pay your price for taking many."

Listening to the audacity of Akiza, Sherry screamed, "_**YOU LITTLE BITCH!" **_She raised her foot to smash her tiny, fragile neck, but as karma finally completed its job, Sherry's body fell backwards and touched the main front doors. No longer conscious from the burns, Sherry's contributions to the whole nasty game had ceased. Sherry was no longer among them.

The fire from the burning flesh spread onto the wooden doors and onto the walls, engulfing the main room in flames before the first fire had reached the floor. In a few seconds, Yusei and Akiza were surrounded by the wild fire that overheated the room. The wooden doors were falling apart as the smoke filled their lungs, causing Yusei to cough and Akiza to choke painfully along with her assumed broken ribs.

Yusei kneeled next to Akiza and wrapped his arms around her body, and he lifted her off the floor and carried her in his arms. "Akiza. Hang on. We'll wait for the doors to finally fall apart, and then we'll get out of here. Hang on, for me, please."

Akiza hissed in pain and fought the tears from running down her face. Her ribs hurt so much. The impact strike that Sherry had made on her was critical as Akiza's vision was starting to blur. She had an awful feeling that one of her ribs was caught in her vital organ, either her heart or lungs she couldn't tell. The pain was bearable enough that she decided not to tell Yusei about it. Instead, she spoke a small conversation with him as they waited for the doors to turn into ashes.

"Yusei... I wish this was all a dream that I could wake up from."

"Me too. I wish it was too."

"Wouldn't that be great? To wake up and discover that everyone's safe?"

Yusei blinked his eyes. "Yeah. It would be."

_I wish I could tell you... _"Yusei?"

"Yes, Aki?"

A smile grew on her lips. Now was the moment to tell him. "I want to tell you something. I -"

"Aki! Hold on tight! We're going through the fire," Yusei warned her, cutting her from revealing her true feelings when the doors finally incinerated.

Trying to shield her face with one of his hands to help her avoid being burned, Yusei ran through the large flames and into the courtyard. The fire singed the ends of his clothing and hair, but not once did he look back. Kicking the gates open, Yusei ran out of the blazing country home and ran freely in the fields. Several feet from the burning building, Yusei turned around to see that the chateau was falling apart as a whole.

Breathless, he nudged Akiza in his arms. "We did it, Aki. We're out."

"So we are..." Akiza answered quietly. She snuggled into his arms as her vision went dark. What rejoicing news! They were finally out. Their living nightmare ended at last. "I'm so glad we're out..." She whispered as she shut her eyes closed. In his arms, she drifted into a peaceful slumber and into a wonderful dream where Bruno, Jack, and Crow were welcoming her back home at Neo Domino, and she smiled softly when she discovered that it was a welcoming just for her and not for Yusei. Never had she felt more loved than from the end of her last night.

* * *

**Sloth: **"Pass, Pass, You Will Pass" is the final children's song to this story. In the first two lines, the speaker says that whoever is last will pass, which fits the title since it's only one person between the three who would be able to pass, however, in the next to lines the speaker says that whoever is last will _not _pass which now I interpreted it as the last one to be hurt shall not make it to safety. In other words, Yusei passed while Akiza was denied of being passed.

*- translates as "Death, sweet death! Return my beloved parents back to me and take this girl's body and any of the other corpse in this chateau!" in English.

The title this time. 1. A number yet a pun I tried to pull since one and "won" almost sound the same, and technically Yusei is the only one left at the end of the chapter and won since he wasn't driven insane and hadn't died... Hm... that wouldn't work since the twins weren't either of those too... Meh. It was good when I thought of it. No going back.

A question I must ask all of you: Have you noticed that beginning from the first chapter, the chapter titles started to have less letters along the way? Haven't noticed? That's okay. It was a play on for me to show how many chapters were remaining after updating a chapter. Smart of me to do, no?

I am amazed how this story turned out. I really am, especially how I even made myself feel creeped out by Sherry which is sweet irony since she's among my favorite characters. It was originally going to be more violent and less emotional, but now that I've read this over my original outline, I like how I wrote this. I really am. Even if the ending came out differently from what I planned in the beginning, I am very satisfied. Very so much. It was a pleasure also writing mostly about Akiza, a character I hardly ever pay attention to. This was an awesome experience.

And that's a wrap! House of 9 is complete! I somehow finished it in a month. Again, I'm proud of myself. I'd like to thank you guys for reading this story throughout the month of October. Thank you. It means a lot more than you can imagine. Thank you.

I wish you all a Happy Halloween by the way. Hope you had a fun one!

-Sloth


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